THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 

MABEL  R.  GILLIS 


DERBY   AT   MR.    WOOD'S. 

"My  father  is  a  Tory,  and  a  soldier  in  the  British  army,'  said  Deborah." 

See  page  325. 


A  LITTLE  MAID 
of  CONCORD  TOWN 

A  ROMANCE  of  the  AMERICAN 

REVOLUTION  .-.  .-.  .-.  .-.   1775 


By 

MARGARET  SIDNEY   ^ 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  JUDGES' 
CAVE,"  V  "FIVE  LITTLE 
PEPPER  S,"  ETC. 

Illustrated  by 

FRANK  T.   MERRILL 


BOSTON  «$, 

LOTHROP    PUBLISHING    COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,     1898,      1900, 
LOTHROP  PUBLISHING  COMPANY. 

*  * 

ALL      RIGHTS. RESERVED 


Typography  by  C.  J.  Peters  &•  Son,  Boston 
Press-work  by  Berwick   6°   Smith 


Citizens  of  ©Ifc  Concort) 

THIS    VOLUME   IS    DEDICATED 
BY 

THE  AUTHOR. 


7 
5W/ 


PREFACE. 


SOME  dozen  years  or  so  ago,  the  author  of  this 
volume  planned  to  write  an  historic  story  of  Old 
Concord,  dealing  with  the  months  and  the  years  prior 
to  1775,  to  show  the  natural  sequence  of  events 
that  gave  to  the  old  town  her  opportunity  "  to  fire 
the  shot  heard  round  the  world,"  and  made  her  so 
large  a  factor  in  shaping  the  destiny  of  the  Ameri- 
can Republic. 

It  was  no  mere  chance  that  set  apart  the  Old 
North  Bridge  at  Concord  as  the  arena  where  was 
enacted  the  opening  scene  of  that  struggle  for  inde- 
pendence that  made  the  Colonies  a  free  nation.  Old 
Concord  had  long  been  preparing  for  what  God  in 
his  providence  was  preparing  for  her;  and  the  bril- 
liant episode  on  the  igth  of  April,  1775,  was  but 
the  natural  result  of  that  long  and  faithful  prelimi- 
nary work.  Marvellous  indeed  in  the  eyes  turned 
backward  to  that  April  morning,  is  the  outcome ! 
In  the  words  of  the  late  President  Dwight,  "  In 
3 


4  PREFACE. 

other  circumstances,  the  expedition  to  Concord,  and 
the  interest  which  ensued,  would  have  been  merely 
little  tales  of  wonder  and  of  woe,  chiefly  recited 
by  the  parents  of  the  neighborhood  to  their  circles 
at  the  fireside,  commanding  a  momentary  attention 
of  childhood,  and  calling  forth  the  tear  of  sorrow 
from  the  eyes  of  these  who  were  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  sufferers.  Now  the  same  events 
preface  the  history  of  a  nation  and  the  beginning 
of  an  empire,  and  are  themes  of  disquisition  and  as- 
tonishment to  the  civilized  world.  From  the  plains 
of  Concord  will  henceforth  be  dated  a  change  in 
human  affairs,  an  alteration  in  the  balance  of  human 
power,  and  a  new  direction  to  the  course  of  human 
improvement.  Man,  from  the  events  which  have 
occurred  here,  will,  in  some  respects,  assume  a  new 
character,  and  experience,  in  some  respects,  a  new 
destiny." 

The  fact  and  fiction  of  the  story  contained  in  these 
pages  can  be  easily  separated  in  the  mind  of  the 
reader,  and  yet  preserve  a  harmony  of  action.  Deb- 
orah Parlin,  the  Little  Maid  of  Concord  Town,  is 
purely  a  work  of  imagination,  together  with  the  set- 
ting of  the  picture  of  the  Parlin  family  in  the  little 
cottage  on  the  Lexington  Road,  whose  last  tenant  was 
Ephriam  W.  Bull,  the  originator  of  the  Concord  grape. 


PREFACE.  5 

Hawthorne's  weird  tale,  the  last  that  was  traced  by 
his  pen,  located  Septimius  Felton  and  Aunt  Keziah  in 
"  the  two-story  house,  gabled  before,  crowded  upon  by 
the  hill  beyond,"  now  known  as  Wayside  ;  and,  in 
deference  to  that  exquisitely  fanciful  creation,  they 
still  wander  in  and  out  the  pages  of  this  story.  Ab- 
ner  Butterfield  and  good  Mother  Butterfield  are  sum- 
moned from  the  realm  of  fancy  to  serve  the  will  of 
the  author  ;  and  it  is  unnecessary  to  add  that  Jim 
Haskins  is  a  figment  evolved  for  like  purpose. 

Bernard  Thornton,  the  young  British  officer,  belongs 
to  the  like  shadowy  realm,  summoned  hence  at  the 
same  behest,  to  bear  his  part  and  lot  in  the  events 
narrated  in  these  pages. 

The  picturesque  and  dramatic  episode  in  the  life  of 
beautiful  Meliscent  Barrett  so  attracted  the  author 
these  dozen  years  ago,  that  she  was  impelled  to  use 
it  as  a  central  force  around  which  to  adjust  her  story. 
Tradition  and  fireside  tales  are,  after  all,  much  of  the 
warp  and  woof  of  our  Colonial  and  Revolutionary 
history;  such  annals  inspire  and  lead,  perchance, 
swifter  to  the  true  spirit  of  those  epochs,  than  the 
labored  art  of  the  historian. 

The  slow  building  of  this  volume,  from  year  to  year, 
often  laid  aside  for  less  congenial  pen-tasks,  yet  never 
out  of  mind,  has  weighted  the  author  with  a  debt  of 


6  PREFACE. 

gratitude  impossible  to  individually  acknowledge  or 
repay.  For  numberless  courtesies  that  greatly  as- 
sisted the  development  of  this  book,  for  valuable  in- 
formation not  to  be  obtained  in  the  ordinary  channels, 
or  that  proved  and  strengthened  that  already  found, 
the  author  would  here  tender  her  most  grateful  and 
appreciative  acknowledgment  to  the  citizens  of  the 
old  town,  who  have  thus  aided  her  in  her  arduous  but 
most  congenial  task.  A  list  of  books  on  another  page 
is  cited  as  partial  authority  for  the  historic  basis  of 
this  volume,  which  has  aimed  in  every  line  to  be  true 
to  the  letter  and  the  spirit  of  the  period  of  which  it 
treats. 


WAYSIDE, 

Concord,  Massachusetts,  May,  1898. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  THE  LITTLE  MAID 9 

II.  TORY  LEE 26 

III.  WITHIN  THE  LEE  MANSION 41 

IV.  ONE  LITTLE  CARTRIDGE 55 

V.  THE  OLD  TOWN  is  GETTING  READY  FAST    ...     77 

VI.   A  CRISIS 94 

VII.  "I   SHALL  GO  OVER  TO  THE   SlDE  OF   THE   KlNG  "      109 

VIII.   WHERE  is  DEBBY  ? 121 

IX.     AT  THE   BUTTERFIELD   FARM 135 

X.   AN  UNUSUAL  CONFERENCE 148 

XL     "WE   ARE   WELL   MATCHED" l62 

XII.   ABNER  ACCOMPLISHES  HIS  MISSION 179 

XIII.  LEADING  EVENTS 191 

XIV.  IN  THE  BRITISH  COFFEE-HOUSE 202 

XV.   PREPARING  AN  ARENA 217 

XVI.  "THE  SECRET  MUST  BE  DISCLOSED  Now"   .     .     .231 

XVII.    RAPID  PREPARATIONS 242 

XVIII.  "  CONCORD  WILL  NEVER  BE  CONQUERED"    .     .     .  263 
7 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 


PAGE 

XIX.  USHERING  IN  THE  YEAR  OF  LIBERTY       .     .     .     .276 

XX.  A  SEARCH  THROUGH  BOSTON  TOWN 291 

XXI.   HOME  TO  CONCORD  TOWN 308 

XXII.    "  I  AM  A  TRAITOR'S  DAUGHTER  !" 323 

XXIII.  "THE  REG'LARS  ARE  COMING!  " 336 

XXIV.  SEARCHING  FOR  THE  STORES 355 

XXV.   THE  "SHOT  HEARD  ROUND  THE  WORLD"  .     .     .371 

XXVI.   WILL  SHE  BE  A  GREAT  LADY  IN  THE  COLONIES?    386 
APPENDIX 403 


A  LITTLE  MAID  OF  CONCORD  TOWN. 


THE    LITTLE    MAID. 

DEBBY  ran  up  the  Ridge  as  fast  as  her  clumsy 
shoes,  and  the  pail  of  milk  with  the  loaf  of 
brown  bread  in  a  clean  towel  which  she  was  carrying, 
would  allow.  At  last  she  brought  up  panting,  as  she 
stumbled  to  the  summit,  and  paused  to  take  breath. 

It  was  a  goodly  scene,  and  one  well  calculated  to 
soothe  the  troubled  breast.  Below  her,  some  fifty  or 
more  feet,  lay  the  Old  B.iy  Road.  Across  this  winding 
thoroughfare  was  the  Town  Meadow,  through  which 
ran  Mill  Brook,  purling  noisily  under  Fox  Bridge  before 
it  lost  itself  in  its  rush  across  the  big  open  meadow. 
Off  in  the  distance,  with  its  guardian  slope  of  hill- 
crowned  forest,  shimmered  Walden,  whose  shining  sur- 
face had  reflected  the  dusky  faces  of  the  first  dwellers 
ip  this  happy  valley  before  the  white  men  came. 

But  Debby  was  far  from  being  at  rest  in  any  portion 
9 


10 


A   LITTLE  MAW   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 


of  her  healthy  young  body.  All  her  soul  was  filled 
with  bitterness.  She  set  down  her  milk-pail,  and  de- 
posited the  loaf  of  bread  upon  its  cover,  and  stretched 
her  arms  restfully.  "  I  wish  the  Reg'lars  would  come 
this  blessed  minute  !  "  she  exclaimed  with  sudden  im- 
pulse, blind  to  the  beauty  of  the  scene  before  her, 
"  and  have  done  with  all  this  watching  and  waiting 
for  them.  Let  King  George  do  his  worst ;  he  will  see 
what  we  are  made  of." 

She  sent  a  swift  glance  on  every  hand,  as  if  the 
landscape  were  distorted  with  redcoats  flashing  be- 
hind every  bush,  and  torturing  the  morning  glow  with 
their  detested  brilliancy  of  coloring.  "  Oh,  I  hate  old 
King  George ! "  and  she  stamped  her  foot  on  the  pine- 
needles. 

A  crackling  in  the  bushes  struck  upon  her  ear. 
Debby  turned  with  the  swiftness  of  a  young  fawn,  and 
peered  in  its  direction,  to  meet  a  sharp  pair  of  eyes 
fastened  upon  her  round  face,  the  person  to  whom 
they  belonged  halting  leisurely  for  that  purpose  just 
within  the  nearest  thicket.  It  was  an  old  woman  of 
most  unpleasant  aspect,  of  a  dark  yellow  face ;  and  as 
her  head  was  tied  up  in  a  handkerchief,  and  her  body 
bent  as  if  with  many  grips  and  twitchings  of  rheu 
matism,  she  gave  more  the  appearance  of  an  ancierrt 
witch,  than  a  good  New  England  resident  of  the  old 


THE   LITTLE   MAID.  II 

town.  And  Debby  would  have  given  preference  to  a 
meeting  with  the  witch. 

"O  Miss  Keziah!"  she  exclaimed,  as  she  backed 
off,  and  began  to  pick  up  her  pail  and  bread,  "  how  do 
you  do  to-day,  and  how  is  Mr.  Felton  ? "  for  she  thought 
it  incumbent  on  her  to  say  something  pleasant  to  this 
old  personage  whom,  notwithstanding  she  was  her 
nearest  neighbor,  she  would  never  choose  to  meet  in 
a  wood  alone. 

Miss  Keziah  cackled  and  showed  her  toothless  gums. 

"Septimus  is  well  enough,"  she  said,  her  voice  not 
lacking  a  tone  of  contempt.  "As  long  as  he  can  sit 
with  his  nose  in  a  book,  he  will  do  from  day's  in  to 
day's  out.  But  well,  well,  as  he  is  to  be  a  minister, 
we  must  let  him  be,  and  thank  the  Lord  it's  no  worse. 
But  hark  ye,  my  pretty,  don't  deceive  me  with  your 
fine  speeches  and  neighboring  ways.  T  heard  what 
you  said  about  our  good  king.  Don't  think  an  old 
woman's  ears  are  heavy.  Besides,  the  birds  will  tell 
it;  the  birds  will  tell  it."  She  waved  her  long,  skinny 
hands,  much  soiled  with  digging  in  the  ground  after 
her  favorite  roots  and  herbs.  "And  every  leaf  will 
whisper  it."  Here  her  voice  sank  to  a  sepulchral 
whisper  that  sent  "the  creeps"  down  Debby's  back. 
"Keep  your  tongue  safe  locked  in  your  head,  child, 
where  every  woman's  should  be,  for  the  times  are 


12        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCOKD    TOWN. 

troublous,  an'  may  the  Lord  bless  us  all!"  She 
advanced  with  a  long  step  and  a  hitch  out  of  her 
thicket,  and  laid  her  skinny  hand  on  Debby's  young 
arm. 

The  young  girl  trembled  under  the  piercing  gaze 
from  the  black  eyes.  She  strove  to  shake  herself 
free;  but  instead  she  stood  still,  partly  from  her  fear 
of  rousing  the  anger  which  she  felt  always  smouldered 
near  the  surface  of  her  neighbor's  face,  and  partly 
because  a  certain  fascination,  like  that  holding  the 
ancient  mariner,  overcame  her  against  her  will. 

But  if  her  feet  tarried,  it  was  no  time  to  be  halting 
with  her  principles;  so  she  burst  out,  "But  I  do  hate 
old  King  George,  Miss  Keziah,  and  I  should  be  a  sin- 
ful girl  not  to  say  the  truth.  Oh  !  he's  a  bad,  wicked 
man,  I  can't  help  it  if  he  is  a  king,  torturing  us  poor 
people  and  starving  us,  and  sending  soldiers  to  fight 
us.  You  know  he's  bad;  and  you  ought  to  hate  him 
too!"  she  brought  up,  her  blue  eyes  blazing. 

"Tush,  tush,  child!"  commanded  the  old  woman, 
not  relinquishing  her  hold,  but  gazing  warily  around 
the  wood.  "Never  let  a  word  escape  you  like  that 
again.  Why,  the  Reg'lars  would  burn  your  house 
about  your  ears,  an'  kill  you.  Oh,  lack-a-day!" 
Here  her  old  arm  dropped  powerless  to  her  side. 
"An'  that's  to  be  our  fate  —  all  of  us,  mayhap." 


THE  LITTLE   MAID.  13 

"No,  it  isn't,  Miss  Keziah,"  cried  Debby  stoutly, 
her  heart  panting  under  her  blue  kerchief;  "I  tell 
you  we'll  fight  'em  to  skin  and  bone."  She  clinched 
her  small  brown  hands  tightly,  and  her  breath  came 
hard,  "And  we'll  make  those  redcoats  run.  Every 
single  one  in  Old  Concord  will  fight,  and  we'll  show 
them  we're  not  afraid  of  'em  a  bit." 

The  old  woman  hitched  back  against  a  tree,  and 
cackled  contemptuously. 

'•'Pretty  child,"  she  exclaimed,  in  a  gust  between 
her  fits  of  laughter.  "Oh,  what  a  paltry  thing  for 
safety  we  have!  You'll  see,  when  the  Reg'lars  really 
come !  Ah,  like  an  infant  in  the  mother's  arms  you 
babble  and  coo  of  safety,  when  the  skies  are  red  with 
blood  that  is  to  drop  on  this  path  before  us  like  dew 
from  the  wings  of  the  morning;"  and  she  pointed  to 
the  road  beneath. 

Debby  shivered  under  her  homespun  gown  like  an 
aspen  leaf;  but  she  spoke  up  stoutly, — 

"And  there  will  be  two  kinds  of  blood  to  run,  Miss 
Keziah  ;  and  the  old  Britishers  will  get  the  worst  of 
it."  And  here  the  fire  within  made  her  cry  out,  as 
she  hastily  seized  her  pail  and  bread-loaf,  "And  I  de- 
spise people  who  talk  as  you  do;  you're  most  as  bad 
as  Tory  Lee  !  " 

With  this  parting  shot  she  skimmed  along  the  pla- 


14        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

teau,  across  the  top  of  the  Ridge,  until  she  struck  the 
eater-cornered  trail  that  straggled  down  its  western 
slope. 

Clear  across  the  Great  Field  she  plunged,  regardless 
of  distance  and  of  her  burden,  until  she  was  over  on 
the  old  Bedford  Road.  Running  down  a  good  piece, 
she  came  upon  a  little  red  farmhouse,  with  its  lean-to 
and  its  barn  all  under  one  roof.  Into  the  kitchen  in 
the  ell  she  ran  on  indignant  young  feet,  and  set  down 
the  pail  and  bread-loaf  on  the  pine  table. 

"  Mother  sent  these,"  she  said  breathlessly. 

"Why,  Debby!"  exclaimed  her  aunt  Sophia,  "what's 
the  matter,  child?  Dear,  dear,  you  are  clean  tired  out ! 
And  how  is  Sister  Ruhama?  "  all  in  one  breath. 

"I'm  not  tired,"  said  Debby  shortly,  and  pushing 
back  her  sunbonnet  from  her  hot  face;  "but  I've  had 
things  said  to  me  that  are  hard  to  bear;"  withholding 
through  habit  all  unpleasant  explanations  from  Aunt 
Sophia,  whose  feeble  frame  was  slowly  but  surely 
succumbing  to  the  dread  New  England  disease,  con- 
sumption. "Where  are  the  boys?  "  she  asked  hastily. 

"  Had  things  hard  to  bear  said  to  you  ?  And  what 
are  they,  Debby,  child?"  cried  Aunt  Sophia,  her  thin 
lips  twitching  at  the  prospect  of  hearing  news,  even 
if  unpleasant. 

"Oh,  dreadful  things!"    exclaimed  Debby.     Then 


THE   LITTLE   MAID.  15 

she  stopped  abruptly.  "  Where  are  the  boys,  aunt  ?  " 
she  asked  again,  quickly. 

"I  don't  know.  Simon  went  out  after  bringing  in 
the  wood,  and  I  doubt  not  that  Jabez  is  with  him  busy 
about  something.  Sit  down  an'  rest  yourself,  Debby, 
an'  tell  me  how  things  are  at  home." 

But  Debby  had  rushed  from  the  kitchen,  and  was 
now  skirting  the  old  barn  and  woodshed.  There,  be- 
hind the  woodpile,  she  heard  a  noise  that  suggested 
"boy;"  and  she  speedily  stood  before  Simon,  whose 
sheepish  face  proclaimed  immediately  that  he  had 
hidden  something  behind  his  back. 

"Oh!  it's  you,  Debby,"  he  cried  in  great  relief, 
bringing  it  out  before  him.  He  was  engaged  in  clean- 
ing an  old  musket,  when  her  footsteps  startled  him. 
"I  thought  it  was  mother,  an'  I  don't  want  to  scare 
her." 

"You're  getting  ready  to  fight,  Simon,"  cried  Debby, 
with  sparkling  eyes,  all  her  evil  time  with  Miss  Keziah 
flown  to  the  winds.  She  seated  herself  on  a  projec- 
tion of  the  woodpile,  and  cast  her  sunbonnet  away 
from  her,  while  she  gave  all  her  attention  to  the  im- 
plement of  warfare  in  his  hand.  "  Oh,  how  perfectly 
splendid!"  she  cried. 

"Yes,  I  am,"  said  Simon  with  energy,  and  bobbing 
his  tow  head.  "An'  I  don't  care  how  soon  it  comes, 


1 6        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

either,  after  I  get  this  old  gun  ready.  And  Jabez  is 
up  in  the  barn-loft  cleaning  his." 

"Has  Jabez  got  a  musket  too?"  cried  Debby. 
"Where  did  you  get  'em,  Simon?"  her  mouth  water- 
ing, so  to  speak,  at  the  sight.  "O  Simon,  if  I  were 
only  a  boy!  Do  let  me  take  it  in  my  hand  just  a 
minute,"  she  pleaded. 

"Well,  you  ain't  a  boy,"  replied  Simon,  holding 
fast  to  the  musket ;  "  an'  you  never  will  be,"  he  added, 
with  that  matter-of-fact  acceptance  of  the  honor  with 
which  men  at  that  period  carried  their  leadership. 
Then,  scrubbing  away  for  dear  life  on  the  gun-stock 
with  a  bit  of  old  flannel,  and  oblivious  to  her  ques- 
tion, "There's  goin'  to  be  an  awful  time,  Debby; 
i'ts  a-comin',  sure,"  he  declared,  setting  his  teeth  to- 
gether hard. 

"  I  know  it,"  said  Debby,  folding  her  hands  in  her 
lap,  "  and  that's  what  I  want  to  help  for.  O  Simon ! 
don't  you  suppose  they'll  let  us  girls  do  something  ? " 
she  gazed  at  him  imploringly. 

"  Not  to  fight,"  said  Simon,  straightening  up.  "  Old 
Concord  won't  be  pushed  so  hard  that  she'll  let  the 
women  and  girls  fight.  We'll  take  care  of  you  all, 
Debby." 

"I  don't  want  to  be  taken  care  of,"  said  Debby 
petulantly.  "I  want  to  fight  the  Britishers  and  old 


THE  LITTLE  MAID.  I  f 

King  George  myself.  Oh!  it's  mean  I'm  nothing  but 
a  girl."  She  fell  back  on  her  old  plaint. 

"  There's  to  be  a  town  meetin'  to-day,  I  s'pose  you 
know,  Debby,"  said  Simon,  with  the  air  of  imparting 
fresh  news. 

"  Don't  I  know  it,"  cried  Debby  with  scorn.  To 
tell  the  truth,  very  little  escaped  her,  a  fact  which  her 
cousin  well  understood. 

"Uncle  John  is  goin'  to  town  meetin',  of  course  ?  " 

"Of  course,"  assented  Debby;  "he  was  up  to  Mr. 
Wood's  last  night  talking  it  all  over." 

"  It's  time  for  us  to  strike  if  we're  ever  goin'  to  stand 
up  for  ourselves,"  exclaimed  Simon  with  great  energy, 
bringing  the  butt  of  the  musket  down  on  the  ground 
with  a  crack.  Then  he  brought  it  up  to  his  shoulder, 
and  sighted  along  its  barrel,  in  a  way  to  make  Debby's 
eyes  sparkle  with  envy. 

"  I  should  think  our  country  would  want  the  girls 
to  do  something  for  her,"  she  exploded,  with  very  red 
cheeks. 

"Well,  she  doesn't,"  said  Simon  coolly;  "for  we 
men  can  take  care  of  you." 

"You  are  always  talking  of  our  being  taken  care  of, 
Simon,"  cried  Debby,  getting  off  from  the  woodpile  in 
irritation;  "that  isn't  in  the  least  what  I  want.  I  just 
long  to  do  something  myself  for  my  own  country,  and 


1 8        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

to  fight  for  her.  It  isn't  fair  to  give  it  all  to  the  boys. 
Our  country  belongs  to  everybody,  the  women  and 
girls,  the  same  as  to  the  men." 

Simon,  not  being  able  to  controvert  this,  wisely  kept 
silence,  and  took  satisfaction  in  flourishing  the  musket, 
and  putting  her  through  her  paces,  so  to  speak,  as  if 
she  had  been  a  thoroughbred. 

"And  the  time  will  come  when  it'll  be  nice  and 
respectable  for  us  to  help,"  cried  Debby  excitedly, 
"just  the  same's  if  we  were  boys  ;  so  there!  I'm 
going  to  fight  for  my  country  the  very  first  chance  I 
get" 

"Well,  you'd  be  drummed  out  of  service,"  said  Simon 
derisively,  "as  soon  as  you  got  in.  We  don't  have 
petticoats  in  Old  Concord  Town  for  soldiers,  I  can  tell 
you,  Debby  Parlin." 

Debby  looked  down  at  her  homespun  gown,  and 
kicked  it  in  disdain.  "Well,  I'm  going  up  to  Perces 
Wood's,"  she  said  at  length,  thinking  it  wise  to  change 
the  subject ;  "  I've  got  to  spin  with  her.  So  I  shall  hear 
all  about  town  meeting  and  everything  else  before  you 
do,  Mr.  Simon." 

The  color  came  into  Simon's  cheek  like  a  girl's. 
"Say,  Debby,"  he  said,  as  she  turned  to  go,  "if  you 
see  Joe  Burrell  up  there,  you  just  see  how  the  land 
lays,  about  Perces,  you  know.  He'll  most  likely  be 


THE   LITTLE   MAID.  19 

nosin'  round  there  to-day,  pretendin'  he  wants  to 
know  about- town  meetin'." 

"I  don't  know  as  I  will,"  she  called  back  with  a 
tantalizing  laugh.  Her  sunbonnet  had  slipped  to  her 
shoulder,  disclosing  a  round  face  with  a  pink  flush 
overspreading  either  cheek,  where  the  dimples  played 
with  the  light  and  shade  of  her  face.  "  I  get  no  sat- 
isfaction out  of  you  at  all  this  morning,  Simon. 
You  won't  even  tell  me  where  you  got  your  guns. 
You're  a  very  poor  cousin  to  have;  and  yet  you  want 
me  to  do  all  sorts  of  things  for  you,"  she  added, 
laughing  at  the  sight  of  his  face. 

"  Oh !  didn't  I  tell  you  ? "  exclaimed  Simon.  "  Well, 
that's  because  I  was  so  full  of  business  getting  the 
old  thing  ready.  I'd  just  as  lieves  you  knew,  Debby. 
Abner  Butterfield  got  'em  for  us." 

"Abner  Butterfield!"  exclaimed  Debby,  unable  to 
control  her  start  of  surprise.  "  Goodness  me,  Simon, 
what  are  you  talking  of  ?  The  idea  of  Abner  Butter- 
field  having  anything  to  do  with  guns  and  fighting. 
Why,  he  wouldn't  know  nor  care  if  there  were  to  be 
ten  thousand  wars;  he'd  stand  stock  still  and  not 
know  till  it  was  all  over,"  she  ended  with  a  short 
laugh. 

"That's  where  you  wrong  Abner,"  declared  Simon 
stoutly,  and  pausing  a  minute  to  regard  her  with 


20        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

disfavor;  "because  he's  quiet  like,  an"  doesn't  talk 
about  how  he  feels,  folks  don't  see  him  as  he  is. 
But  you  ought  to  know  better,  Debby  Parlin." 

"  And  why  ought  I  to  know,  pray  tell,  Mr.  Simon 
Brown  ?  "  cried  Debby  airily,  and  hopping  lightly  from 
one  foot  to  the  other  as  if  she  quite  disdained  the 
whole  subject.  "  I'm  sure  I  don't  Anow  nor  care  how 
Abner  Butterfield  feels." 

"Because  Abner  lets  you  see  how  he  feels,  an' 
you  know  just  what  stuff  he's  made  of,"  answered 
Simon,  ignoring  her  airs. 

"  I  don't  know  as  I  know  much  more  about  Abner 
Butterfield's  feelings  than  you  do,"  retorted  Debby 
with  a  fling  to  her  checked  apron.  "  I'm  sure  I  don't 
see  why  I  should ;  for  I'm  tired  to  death  hearing  you 
talk  of  him,  and  I  never  listen  if  I  can  help  it." 

Simon  brought  his  thin  lips  together  firmly,  and 
turned  back  to  his  gun-cleaning  with  redoubled  vigor. 
"  And  I  haven't  any  patience  with  you  tor  everlastingly 
bringing  him  up,"  said  Debby,  shaking  the  light  waves 
of  hair  away  from  her  brow,  "  none  at  all,  Simon." 

Simon  kept  a  cold  shoulder  for  her,  and  even  began 
to  whistle  the  last  bar  of  "  The  White  Cockade.1' 

"  You  always  make  me  run,  Simon,''  said  Debby, 
showing  not  the  smallest  disposition  to  stir  from  her 
tracks,  "whenever  you  begin  to  talk  of  him." 


THE  LITTLE  MAID.  21 

Simon,  an  imaginary  fifer,  tooted  merrily  on,  with- 
out the  smallest  heed  to  his  cousin. 

"And  'tisn't  because  I  take  the  slightest  interest 
in  what  Abner  Butterfield  does,"  went  on  Debby, 
drawing  near  in  order  to  get  her  words  in  between 
the  martial  strains  —  "oh,  dear  me,  no  !  He  does  vex 
me  so,  Simon;  he's  so  big  and  slow.  But  I'm  so 
astonished  that  he'd  do  anything  like  the  rest  of  us 
Concord  folks,  to  show  that  we  can't  be  ground  down 
to  the  dust  at  the  bidding  of  a  foolish  and  wicked 
old  king." 

"When  the  time  comes,  Debby  Parlin,"  said  Simon, 
unpuckering  his  mouth  to  utter  the  words  forcibly, 
"  Abner  Butterfield'll  fight  as  well  an'  as  long  as  any- 
body else.  You'll  find  that  out.  He  won't  give  up 
till  he's  dead." 

Debby  shivered  dreadfully  under  her  blue  home- 
spun; but  she  gave  a  toss  to  her  pretty  head,  and 
said  lightly,  "  Fiddle-strings,  Simon.  Oh,  dear  me  !  — 
well,  I  mustn't  stay  any  longer.  I  ought  to  be  up 
at  Mrs.  Wood's  this  blessed  minute.  The  idea  of 
wasting  my  time  over  Abner  Butterfield  I " 

"I  don't  see  why  you  don't  start,"  observed  Simon* 
looking  at  her.  "  Well,  remember  what  I  said  about 
Perces  an'  Joe  Burrell,  Debby." 

"And  you  remember  all  I've  said  about  Abner  But- 


22        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

terfield,"  said  Debby,  making  a  great  show  of  haste  as 
she  turned  off.  "The  idea  of  your  keeping  me  here 
talking  of  nothing  but  Abner  Butterfield." 

Suddenly  she  turned  and  came  back  with  one  of 
those  swift  characteristic  movements  that  to  one  who 
knew  Debby,  were  never  surprising. 

"Simon,"  she  said,  and  the  color  died  out  of  her 
cheek,  "you're  right.  There's  an  awful  time  a- 
coming." 

Simon  nodded,  his  lips  drawn  tightly  over  his  teeth. 

"  And  I  'm  glad  of  it ;  for  it's  best  to  get  it  over  with, " 
went  on  Debby  in  a  low  voice.  "At  any  rate,  Simon, 
if  we  girls  can't  fight,  we  can  talk  and  pray." 

"Yes,"  said  Simon,  "there's  an  awful  lot  o'  prayin' 
been  goin'  on  in  this  town."  He  glanced  up  invol- 
untarily, as  if  he  expected  to  see  the  supplications  on 
the  way  over  his  head.  "An'  they  all  ain't  for  nothin', 
now,  I  tell  you." 

"  Simon,"  said  Debby,  and  her  face  grew  suddenly 
very  grave,  "  I  b'lieve  we  can  V  be  beaten.  You  see, 
God  couldn't  allow  it  very  well,  after  getting  us  over 
here  and  promising  to  take  care  of  us,  and  keeping  us 
along  till  this  time.  So  I  know  we  shall  be  free  and 
independent.  Just  think  of  it,  free  and  independent !  " 
She  clasped  her  hands.  "  O  Simon!  after  all  we  have 
suffered  in  this  town,  and  in  all  the  other  towns,  to 


THE  LITTLE  MAID.  2$ 

think  of  relief  coming."  Her  blue  eyes  glowed  with 
fire,  and  her  bosom  heaved. 

Simon  could  find  no  words,  so  he  silently  redoubled 
his  work  on  the  old  musket. 

"  It  has  been  so  long  now,"  went  on  Debby.  "Our 
one  thought  from  morning  till  night  has  been,  what 
shall  we  do — what  can  we  do — to  bring  things  right?  " 
We  cannot  give  up  like  slaves;  we  can  only  die. 
Simon,  why  don't  you  say  something? "  she  broke  off 
impatiently. 

"Because  I  can't,"  replied  Simon.  "It  gets  too 
full  up  here,  when  I  try  to  speak  about  it."  He 
touched  his  throat  with  his  brawny  hand.  "Seems 
if  I  sh'd  choke." 

"It's  been  so  many  years  now,"  went  on  Debby 
mournfully,  shaking  the  soft  waves  across  her  brow, 
"since  I've  heard  nothing  else.  Why,  I  was  such  a 
little  girl,  Simon,  that  I  don't  remember  when  I  didn't 
hear  it  all  day  long,  most." 

"I  guess  we  all  can  say  the  same  thing,"  said  Simon 
grimly. 

"I  know  it,"  said  Debby,  delighted  to  get  him  to 
talking.  "Of  course  we've  all  grown  up  on  it.  And 
do  you  suppose  that  the  talking  and  praying  of  all 
these  years  is  going  to  be  wasted,  Simon?"  She 
brought  her  clear  eyes  full  to  bear  upon  him. 


24        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"No,  I  don't,  said  Simon  shortly.  He  had  a  habit 
when  much  moved,  of  bringing  his  thin  lips  togethei 
with  a  snap,  as  if  to  shut  out  superfluous  words.  So 
now  he  barely  allowed  his  answer  to  shoot  from  his 
mouth  ere  he  was  silent  once  more. 

"No,  no,  no,"  said  Debby,  with  sweet  cadence,  yet 
decisively.  "All  the  prayers  are  not  to  be  wasted. 
Poverty  and  suffering,"  her  voice  sank  mournfully  — 
"O  Simon!  what  haven't  we  suffered  holding  on  to 
our  principles  ? " 

Simon  thrust  the  musket  from  him  with  a  sudden 
gesture,  and  faced  her.  Then  he  picked  it  up  again, 
clinching  it  fast. 

"If  you  talk  like  that,  I'll  forget  my  principles,  an' 
go  an'  fight  those  infernal  redcoats  before  it's  time. 
Do  I  forget  her,  Debby  Parlin?"  He  pointed  his 
other  fist  in  the  direction  of  the  kitchen.  "An'  her 
dyin'  by  inches  because  she  can't  get  good  food  to 
sustain  her?  An'  how  the  worry  to  keep  out  o'  debt 
killed  father,  an'  left  Jabez  an'  me  with  a  load  on 
our  shoulders  of  interest  on  th'  mortgage  that  we  can't 
pay,  an'  that  is  eatin'  us  up?  Remember?  O  God! 
can  I  ever  forget  ?  " 

He  was  dreadful  to  look  at.  Even  his  shock  of 
tow  hair  seemed  to  erect  itself  in  defiance  as  he 
blazed  away.  Debby  was  almost  frightened  to  death 


THE   LITTLE   MAID.  2$ 

at  the  storm  she  had  raised,  and  she  hastened  to 
say,— 

"Well,  so  long  as  we  have  got  such  good  men  to 
take  care  of  matters  as  there  are  in  this  town,  I  think 
everything  will  be  right.  We  are  law-abiding  people, 
you  know,  Simon,"  she  added,  repeating  one  of  the 
many  phrases  she  had  grown  up  on. 

Simon's  face  still  worked  fearfully.  But  he  returned 
to  his  work,  as,  knowing  himself  well,  he  could  be  held 
in  check  only  in  that  way. 

"And  we  can't  be  beaten  if  we  don't  run,"  said 
Debby  at  last,  and  the  light  returned  to  her  eyes. 
"And  it's  something  to  be  proud  of  that  we've  never 
been  afraid  yet,  but  we've  said  what  we  thought  we 
ought  to.  So  Concord  has  been  heard  from." 

"She's  always  been  heard  from,"  cried  Simon,  with 
sudden  fury;  "and  she'll  be  listened  to,  I  tell  you, 
when  she  speaks  finally,"  as  Debby  went  slowly  down 
the  road. 


26        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN 


II. 

TORY   LEE. 

AS  Debby  went  slowly  on  her  way,  her  head  drooped 
XjL  till  her  soft  chin  nestled  in  the  blue  kerchief, 
giving  her  so  little  the  appearance  of  the  usually 
blithe  maiden,  that  the  townspeople  meeting  her 
would  have  turned  to  watch  the  sad  little  figure,  had 
it  not  been  that  all  the  citizens,  young  as  well  as  old, 
bore  about  them  the  same  depressed  atmosphere.  The 
whole  air  seemed  charged  with  the  gloom  of  the  pres- 
ent suffering  and  distress,  and  the  foreboding,  that  yet 
was  unlike  fear,  of  the  deeper  gloom  of  coming  events. 
It  was  as  if  a  great  crisis  were  approaching;  and 
while  each  countenance  and  movement  expressed  this, 
it  was  dominated  by  a  determination  and  high  resolve, 
that  gave  to  the  provincial  face  a  striking  beauty  of 
expression. 

The  men  were  gathered  on  the  Milldam  in  little 
knots,  engaged  in  conversation  of  a  serious  and  weighty 
character  that  breathed  an  over-ruling  excitement  to 
thrill  each  new-comer.  Evidently  some  fresh  cause 


TORY  LEE.  2/ 

for  alarm  had  seized  the  village  in  the  early  morning, 
to  judge  from  the  scraps  of  talk  that  fell  upon  the  ear 
of  the  chance  passer-by.  It  was  noticeable  that  sev- 
eral farmers  carried  muskets,  and  that  the  impulse  to 
get  the  instant  opinions  of  their  fellow-townsmen  was 
a  general  incitant  that  possessed  all  classes  of  citi- 
zens. There  was  the  revered  parson  who  was  daily 
stopped  in  his  walk  through  the  town's  centre  by  the 
earnest  seeker  after  the  latest  news  from  Boston,  or 
for  the  clerical  opinion,  now  with  a  large  group  sur- 
rounding him.  It  was  easy  to  understand  by  his 
kindling  eye,  the  nature  of  the  words  flowing  from  his 
burning  lips,  and  that  something  unusual  had  inspired 
them. 

Debby  raised  her  head  from  her  deep  dejection  as 
she  passed  the  group,  longing  to  stop  and  listen.  But 
for  a  woman  or  a  girl  to  gather  patriotism  in  this  way 
was  considered  unseemly;  so  she  went  by  with  added 
bitterness  in  her  breast  at  the  fate  that  had  denied 
her  a  lusty  boyhood. 

Occasionally  a  face  would  gleam  upon  her  as  she 
went  along,  that  held  something  more  than  the  deter- 
mination and  high  resolution  kept  in  check.  Fierce 
and  bitter  would  be  the  flash  of  the  eye,  and  a  sug- 
gestive handling  of  the  musket,  or  the  brandishing 
of  the  stout  stick,  while  muttered  words  of  immediate 


28        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

military  action  caught  her  ear.  But  it  was  noticeable 
that  some  citizen  would  quietly  approach  such  a  man, 
and,  laying  a  hand  upon  his  shoulder,  would,  in  low 
tones,  talk  until  he  was  calmed  down,  not  so  much 
perhaps  by  the  words  uttered,  as  by  the  weight  of  the 
name  and  influence  of  the  man  who  was  speaking. 

One  going  through  Old  Concord  Town  on  that  hot 
July  morning  needed  no  words  to  be  told  that  its 
citizens  were  banded  together  as  one  family,  and 
that  the  desire  for  Liberty  was  the  band  that  united 
them.  Each  man  seemed  a  veritable  "Son  of  Lib- 
erty," a  mighty  host  himself,  dependent,  as  the  Israel- 
ite of  old,  upon  the  God  of  his  fathers.  To  an 
onlooker  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  misunder- 
stand the  signs  of  the  times;  and  every  participant 
in  the  life  of  the  village  on  that  day,  man,  woman,  or 
child,  felt  in  his  and  her  very  soul  that  an  impor- 
tant step  had  been  taken  in  the  sequence  of  events 
urging  forward  the  crisis. 

Debby  could  endure  it  no  longer;  but  rushing  past 
a  knot  of  farmers  whose  stern  faces  and  set  jaws  filled 
her  with  the  fire  of  an  unspeakable  hope  that  now 
really  the  war  was  about  to  begin,  she  ran  up  the  road 
a  good  piece,  to  a  matron,  standing,  as  befitted  a  wo- 
man, at  a  long  remove  from  the  crowd  on  the  Milldam. 
•'Oh!  tell  me,  what  is  it? "  cried  Debby,  clasping  her 


TORY  LEK.  29 

hands,  her  sunbonnet  slipping  back  to  her  shoulder, 
allowing  the  soft  waves  of  hair  to  escape. 

"  The  Lord  help  us,  Debby  1 "  ejaculated  the  woman, 
turning  a  solemn  face  to  the  girl ;  yet  the  thin  nostrils 
quivered,  and  there  was  a  light  in  the  black  eyes; 
"it's  coming;  I've  known  it  long,  and  now  it's  here." 

"  Is  the  war  actually  to  begin  ? "  cried  Debby  with 
sparkling  eyes;  "tell  me,  Mrs.  Hosmer;  oh,  do  tell 
me!" 

"We  shall  not  bear  much  longer  such  stress  and 
strain,"  said  Mrs.  Hosmer,  her  black  eyes  flashing; 
"it  is  not  in  human  nature.  Listen,  Debby;  some 
news  reached  us  this  morning,  only  an  hour  since, 
and  look  at  the  number  of  men  gathered  to  discuss 
it."  She  pointed  to  the  rapidly  augmenting  groups 
below  on  the  Milldam. 

Debby  quivered  in  every  limb.  "But  tell  me," 
she  implored,  "what  is  the  news?" 

"I  only  know  it  is  fresh  oppression.  The  king 
thinks  we  need  more  discipline  ;  and  the  news  comes 
that  he  has  sent  over  to  Boston  such  a  command.  I 
fear  that  the  excitement  will  break  down  our  determi- 
nation not  to  strike  unless  attacked." 

"  And  what  do  you  call  an  attack  ? "  cried  Debby, 
pale  with  anger.  She  clinched  her  young  right  fist  till 
the  nails  struck  into  the  palm.  "Shall  we  be  ground 


30        A   LITTLE   MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

down  so  that  we  cannot  possibly  be  able  to  defend 
ourselves  before  we  fight  ?  Oh,  oh  ! " 

"  Nay,  child,"  said  Mrs.  Hosmer,  controlling  herseli 
by  a  violent  effort  ;  "but  we  shall  injure  our  cause  if 
we  give  way  to  excitement.  When  we  strike,  we  must 
do  it  in  the  right  way.  Never  fear,  Debby,  the  day  is 
coming  in  the  Lord's  own  time  when  we  shall  fight." 

She  turned  off;  and  Debby,  wild  with  distress,  in 
which  anger  and  hope  for  the  immediate  battle  waged 
equally  in  her  breast,  sped  off  up  the  road  to  Mr. 
Ephraim  Wood's,  her  destination,  where  she  should 
have  been  at  the  spinning-wheel  an  hour  ago.  He 
would  know,  for  Mr.  Wood  knew  everything,  she  said 
to  herself  as  she  hurried  along  ;  and  Mrs.  Wood  would 
tell  her  what  all  this  dreadful  news  was,  and  just  how 
King  George  was  to  persecute  them  afresh.  She  res- 
olutely sped  on,  turning  her  face  neither  to  the  right 
nor  to  the  left,  and  presently  she  ran  up  to  the  comfor- 
table Wood  mansion,  fronting  the  shining  and  peace- 
ful river. 

"Perces,"  she  called,  hurrying  over  the  big  stone 
steps  that  guarded  the  entrance  to  the  dooryard,  and 
running  around  the  side  of  the  house  to  the  kitchen 
door,  "  where's  Mrs.  Wood  ? " 

"  In  here,"  called  Perces  from  the  kitchen.  "  My 
senses,  Debby  Parlin ! "  at  sight  of  her  scarlet  face, 


TOR  Y  LEE.  3  I 

"  you've  run  every  step  of  the  way,  I'll  be  bound,"  as 
she  met  her  at  the  door.  She  was  much  younger  than 
Debby,  but  big  and  strong  for  her  age. 

Perces's  mother  looked  pale  ;  but  there  was  a  strange 
light  in  her  eyes,  although  her  hands  were  busy  as 
usual  over  menial  tasks.  "  What  is  it  —  oh,  do  tell 
me,  Mrs.  Wood  ? "  gasped  Debby,  holding  her  with  in- 
sistent blue  eyes. 

"  News  has  come  but  a  short  time  since,"  said  Mrs. 
Wood,  "that  an  'Act  for  the  better  regulation  of  the 
government  of  Massachusetts  Bay '  has  been  received 
in  Boston,  and  a  Mandamus  Council  and  many  other 
officers  are  being  appointed  over  us  to  make  us  obey 
the  king  and  Parliament.  Now  you  know  it  all, 
Deborah,  just  as  much  as  we  know  ourselves." 

"  Oh,  the  wicked,  wicked  king!  "  cried  Debby,  feeling 
some  of  the  glow  depart.  Clearly  the  war  had  not  actu- 
ally begun  ;  it  was  only  the  old  story  of  more  oppression. 

"  Hush,  hush,  child  !  Calm  yourself,"  said  Mrs. 
Wood.  "  Now  I  have  been  hindered  this  morning 
with  all  this  excitement,  and  I  am  not  ready  to  set 
you  to  work.  Go  out  and  sit  down  in  the  air,  and 
cool  off.  I  will  call  you  when  I  need  you." 

"  Isn't  Mr.  Wood  going  to  do  anything  ? "  asked 
Debby  anxiously. 

"Yes;  all  he  or  anv  one  can,"  answered  his  wife. 


32        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"He  is  in  the  keeping-room  with  Mr.  Flint  and  Mr. 
Merriam.  Don't  worry,  child,"  Mrs.  Wood's  voice  fell 
to  a  gentle  cadence ;  "  God  will  take  care  of  us." 

Debby  went  out  to  the  old  flat  door-stone,  thank- 
ful, since  God  would  take  care  of  them  all,  that  he 
had  appointed  Mr.  Ephraim  Wood  to  see  to  things, 
and  heaving  a  sigh  of  relief  as  she  thought  of  such  a 
strong  hand  at  the  helm.  She  sank  down  and,  twitch- 
ing off  her  sunbonnet,  began  to  fan  her  hot  face. 

"  My,  but  ain't  you  hot  1 "  exclaimed  Perces,  look- 
ing at  the  drops  of  perspiration  that  ran  away  from 
the  damp  rings  of  hair  on  Debby's  brow ;  and  she 
stepped  into  the  kitchen  and  brought  out  a  great 
turkey  wing.  "  You  set  still,  an'  I'll  fan  you,"  she 
said,  waving  it  back  and  forth. 

Debby  caught  it  out  of  her  hand.  "You  go  back 
to  your  work,  Perces.  Mrs.  Wood's  all  tired  out. 
Oh,  dear  me,  how  I  do  wish  the  fight  would  begin 
this  very  day!"  She  let  the  fan  slip  to  the  ground 
while  she  clasped  her  hands  together,  nursing  her 
knee  with  them. 

Perces  made  big  eyes  at  her.  "Well,  I'm  sure  I 
don't  wish  so,"  she  said.  "  There'll  be  a  terrible  time, 
Debby  Parlin,  when  the  fight  really  does  come." 

Debby  lifted  a  hot,  distressed  face  up  to  the  younger 
one  above  her. 


TORY  LEE.  33 

"It  is 'only  putting  off  the  dreadful  time,"  she 
said  brokenly.  "  O  Perces  1  what  shall  we  —  shall  we 
do?" 

Perces  gazed  steadily  with  large  and  quiet  eyes, 
like  a  ruminating  animal,  over  the  landscape  before 
her;  then  she  brought  her  regard  back  to  Debby's 
face.  "  I  don't  know,"  she  said.  "  No  one  knows. 
But  God  is  going  to  take  care  of  us,  I  guess.  My 
father  says  that  our  rights  have  got  to  be  respected, 
and  that  it  behooves  the  town  to  take  a  firm  stand. 
Those  are  just  his  very  words,  Debby.  I  heard  him 
tell  Mr.  Flint  so  before  he  shut  the  door." 

"Are  they?"  cried  Debby,  leaning  against  the  door- 
jamb  to  look  up  at  her  and  drink  in  every  word. 
Somehow  that  "behooves,"  uttered  as  she  knew  Mr. 
Ephraim  Wood  had  brought  it  out,  gave  her  solid 
comfort,  being  like  a  granite  rock  for  support.  She 
heaved  a  long  and  restful  sigh. 

"Perces,  I  verily  believe  your  father  will  fix  it  up," 
she  said  out  of  the  depths  of  a  heart  devoted  to  the  big 
stanch  patriot  who  held  so  much  of  the  town  affairs  in 
his  grasp. 

"Yes,"  said  Perces  stolidly;  "he  and  the  other  men. 
Well,  you  better  go  round  to  the  other  side  of  the  house, 
Debby,  you'll  get  cool  quicker."  Somehow  Perces 
always  struck  one  as  being  a  woman  grown,  with  her 


34        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWAr. 

large  ways  to  match.  And  repeating  this  injunction, 
she  went  back  into  the  kitchen. 

Debby  crept  off  her  step ;  and  forgetting  the  turkey 
wing,  she  passed  around  to  the  front  of  the  house,  where 
the  shadows  under  the  "  laylock  "  bushes  looked  tempt- 
ing. Here  within  their  cool  recess  she  cuddled  up, 
intending  to  stay  but  a  few  moments,  and  then,  not 
waiting  for  Mrs.  Wood's  summons,  to  present  herself 
ready  to  achieve  some  household  work,  even  if  the 
spinning-work  was  "off  the  carpet."  Whether  the 
droning  of  the  insects  soothed  her,  or  the  soft  breeze 
that  now  sprung  up  and  played  around  the  damp  rings 
on  her  forehead  fanned  her  into  repose,  no  one  can 
tell.  Certain  it  is  that  poor  tired  little  Debby  was 
soon  in  the  land  of  dreams,  her  head  drooped  on  her 
bosom  as  she  leaned  against  the  house-side  under  the 
lilac-bushes. 

In  her  dreams  she  was  seeing  innumerable  com- 
panies of  redcoats  marching  down  through  Concord 
Town,  to  be  always  met  and  chased  by  the  Provin- 
cials, who  drove  and  beat  them  stanchly  back.  To 
Debby,  revelling  in  these  victories,  it  seemed  as  if  the 
Reg'lars  melted  into  thin  air,  so  completely  did  they 
vanish,  only  to  reappear,  when  the  same  performance 
was  repeated,  always  to  end  with  victory  for  Concord. 

It  was  naturally  to  be  expected,  therefore,  that  with 


TORY  LEE.  35 

such  delightful  visions  her  sleep  should  be  restful. 
It  was  so  much  so,  that  she  was  smiling,  dewy-eyed, 
rosy  from  slumber-land,  when  she  at  last  stretched  her 
young  limbs,  now  no  longer  tired,  and  unclosed  her 
eyes.  She  was  conscious  of  voices  in  the  room  whose 
windows  were  above  her  head.  But  before  she  could 
rouse  herself  out  of  her  dreamy  state  enough  to  take 
in  the  sense  of  the  words,  she  was  made  aware  of  some 
one  looking  steadily  at  her  around  the  corner  of  the 
house ;  and  quick  as  lightning  she  saw  the  face  of  Tory 
Lee,  the  neighbor  of  Mr.  Wood,  as  he  vainly  endeav- 
ored to  draw  back  before  he  was  discovered.  In  a 
flash  it  swept  over  Uebby's  brain.  "You've  been 
listening,"  she  cried,  springing  to  her  feet,  "Old  Tory 
Lee!  "  pointing  her  finger  at  him,  "to  what  Mr.  Wood 
and  the  others  are  saying;"  for  now  she  heard  the  deep 
tones  of  the  master  of  the  house  engaged  in  earnest 
conversation  with  those  citizens  who,  she  felt  sure, 
were  to  be  the  leaders  of  the  town  in  this  fresh  trouble 
and  oppression.  Without  a  minute's  reflection,  as 
Tory  Lee  stole  off  across  the  field  in  the  direction  of 
his  mansion,  she  ran  after  him.  "Old  Tory  Lee!" 
she  cried  in  scorn  and  anger. 

"Girl!"  he  turned  on  her,  tall  and  stalwart  he  was; 
"how  dare  you  call  me  that !  "  he  blazed  at  her. 

"Because  you   are!"   cried    Debby,    standing   her 


36        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

ground,  very  pale  and  determined.  "  Oh  !  we  are  suf 
fering  and  poor  and  distressed,  God  knows.  You  can 
have  your  fine  mansion  and  fine  clothes;  but  I'd 
rather  suffer  everything  than  to  carry  around  your 
black  heart.  And  now  you've  been  listening,  I  feel 
sure,  Tory  Lee." 

She  was  not  conscious  how  much  she  had  raised  her 
voice.  Had  not  the  men  with  Mr.  Wood  in  the  room 
a  short  distance  off  been  deep  in  an  agony  of  thought 
and  consultation,  they  must  have  heard  the  fine,  shrill 
call.  Some  passers-by  on  the  main  road  caught  it, 
especially  two  young  farmers  coming  along  with  swift 
footsteps.  Their  muskets  were  in  their  hands,  and 
they  were  stepping  off  as  if  actually  marching  to 
battle. 

"Tory  Lee  !  Tory  Lee!  "  No  sooner  did  they  hear 
the  words  than  their  march  changed  to  a  quick  run. 
"Tory  Lee!  Tory  Lee!  "  They  took  up  the  cry,  and 
passed  it  along;  and  presently,  there  being  an  unusual 
amount  of  travel  produced  by  the  exciting  news  of  the 
morning  that  was  bringing  many  farmers  to  the  centre 
of  the  town,  there  were  about  half  a  score  assembling 
from  different  points,  and  all  closing  around  Debby 
and  the  unfortunate  man. 

In  a  flash  she  saw  the  mischief  she  had  made;  and 
though  indignant  at  sight  of  the  man,  the  stories  of 


TOA'Y  LEE  37 

whose  connivance  with  the  foe  against  his  own  towns- 
men had  made  him  revolting  to  her,  yet  she  trembled 
in  pity  for  him;  she  was  in  dread,  too,  lest  the  young, 
excited  farmers  might  do  something  to  plunge  the  town 
into  shame  and  sorrow.  She  held  up  her  hand  to  them 
imperatively,  and  they  instantly  paused.  All  of  them 
knew  her.  Who  in  the  town  did  not?  Farmer  Parlin's 
winsome  maid,  sitting  so  demure  between  father  and 
mother  in  the  square  pew  in  the  old  meeting-house 
every  Sabbath  day,  her  face  like  a  wild  rose  peeping 
out  from  her  big  bonnet;  and  in  the  breast  of  more 
than  one  who  thus  knew  her  dwelt  a  marvellously  clear 
reflection  of  her  cheeks  and  eyes  and  hair,  to  last  six 
other  days  of  the  week,  till  the  next  Lord's  day  should 
arrive,  when  the  reflection  could  be  renewed.  So  now 
they  one  and  all  obeyed. 

"Run  for  your  life,"  commanded  Debby  in  a  low 
voice,  while  all  the  color  fled  from  her  face  to  ''Tory 
Lee,"  who  needed  no  second  bidding.  And,  although 
a  fine  and  somewhat  stately  man,  he  was  not  above  a 
nimble  run,  with  more  thought  for  speed  than  for 
grace;  so  that  his  long  limbs  soon  carried  him  within 
his  own  confines,  and  to  the  safe  retreat  of  his  big 
mansion. 

"The  times  do  not  warrant  anything  like  this," 
exclaimed  one  young  farmer,  who,  as  Debby  had  re- 


38        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

ceived  his  advances  with  cold  disapproval,  had  not 
so  much  to  lose  by  her  present  displeasure. 

"And  why  am  I  not  warranted,  Mr.  Haskins  ? " 
replied  Debby  in  a  high,  cool  key,  "  pray  tell.  When 
by  my  cry  you  were  summoned,  clearly  I  have  the 
right  to  settle  the  matter." 

The  young  fellow  looked  chagrined ;  but  another, 
swallowing  his  wrath  at  sight  of  "Tory  Lee,"  and 
his  disappointment  at  failing  to  mete  out  some  sort 
of  punishment  to  him,  broke  in,  "  Debby  speaks  well, 
and  of  course  we'll  let  the  villain  go." 

"  Yes,  of  course,"  assented  still  another,  though  with 
difficulty ;  "  but  after  this  he  must  look  out,  or  we'll 
invite  him  to  a  ride  with  a  tar-and-feather  coat." 

And  they  were  about  to  pass  on,  when  Abner  But- 
terfield  came  down  the  road,  his  first  intimation  of 
the  news  from  Boston  being  late,  as  his  farm  was  in 
one  of  the  out-lying  districts.  When  Haskins,  the 
first  speaker,  caught  sight  of  his  big,  sturdy  figure,  it 
seemed  to  arouse  all  his  animosity,  that,  fired  by  the 
excitement  of  the  morning,  was  burning  fiercely. 

"  I  d'no  about  that,"  he  declared  obstinately.  "  I 
believe  that  we  owe  Tory  Lee  more'n  we  can  ever  pay 
him  up  ef  he  lived  a  hundred  years.  Who  knows  but 
what  his  finger  has  been  in  the  trouble  stirred  up  fresh 
for  us  to  bear  now  ?  Boys,  what  d'ye  say  to  'hat  coaf 


TORY  LEE.  39 

o'  tar-an'-feathers  now,  an'  after  that  a  dp  in  the 
river.  Come  on,  I'm  for  it !  " 

He  sprang  off  in  the  direction  of  the  Lee  mansion ; 
and  a  half-dozen  young  fellows  with  hot  blood,  fired 
by  the  news  of  the  fresh  persecution  brought  that 
morning,  dashed  after  him.  Debby  uttered  a  low  cry, 
and  clasped  her  hands  in  terror.  Every  drop  of  blood 
seemed  to  desert  her  body  as  she  stood  there  a  frozen 
little  thing. 

Abner  Butterfield  strode  to  her  side  between  the 
group  of  young  men  still  obeying  her.  •'  What  is't, 
Debby  ? "  he  demanded,  reaching  her  side. 

"  O  Abner ! "  she  sprang  out  into  life  and  action 
again.  "  Make  them  stop,"  she  entreated,  the  color 
now  spreading  over  her  face ;  "  they  are  going  to  harm 
Tory  Lee.  It  is  all  my  fault  ;  I  was  upbraiding  him, 
and  they  heard  me.  Abner,  stop  them !  " 

At  this  juncture  Haskins  gave  a  jeering  laugh.  It 
was  madness  to  him  to  see  Abner  Butterfield  appealed 
to  by  Debby ;  and  now  he  determined  that  Tory  Lee 
should  suffer  for  it,  if  the  skies  fell.  He  nourished 
his  musket  high  above  his  head,  and  called  upon  all 
good  patriots  to  fall  in  to  this  righteous  work,  "unless 
you  want  to  be  reckoned  along  with  the  old  traitor. " 

That  was  enough  after  the  news  of  the  morning; 
and  every  soul  of  them  except  Abner  ran,  with  all  the 


40        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  C01VCOXD    TOWN. 

ardor  of  youth  on  fire  with  love  of  country,  across  the 
road,  and  swarmed  over  the  broad  Lee  acres.  Debby 
could  see  a  long,  pale  face  at  one  of  the  large  win- 
dows, and  then  it  was  withdrawn.  She  wrung  her 
hands  in  anguish.  "They  will  kill  him!"  she  cried, 
"and  his  blood  will  be  on  my  head." 

"Debby,"  said  Abner,  laying  his  big  hand  on  her 
arm,  "don't  feel  badly.  They  won't  darst  do  any- 
thing but  give  him  a  scare." 

"I've  killed  him!"  cried  Debby,  with  wild  eyes. 
"0  Abner!"  She  crept  up  closer  to  his  big  side, 
and  shivered  like  a  hurt  little  thing. 

"They  will  not  darst,"  he  began  again;  and  his 
hand  smoothed  her  bright  hair  as  softly  as  her  mother 
could  have  done.  Just  then  a  shout,  discordant  and 
angry,  smote  the  air.  It  came  from  the  house-place 
of  the  Lee  mansion. 

Debby  broke  away  from  Abner's  hand.  "I  shall 
tell  Mr.  Wood!"  she  screamed.  And  speeding  down 
the  road  to  the  house,  while  Abner  strode  off  to  do  his 
best  to  quell  the  incipient  riot,  she  burst  on  unsteady 
feet  into  the  august  presence  of  the  three  councillors. 
"Oh,  sir!"  she  cried  through  white  lips,  "and  Mr 
Flint  and  Mr.  Merriam,  save  Tory  Lee!  " 


WITHIN   THE  LEE  MANSION.  4! 


III. 

WITHIN   THE   LEE    MANSION. 

"TT7HAT  does  the  child  mean?"  exclaimed  Mr. 

V  V  Wood,  pushing  the  papers  on  the  big  ma- 
hogany table  around  which  they  were  seated  away 
from  him.  He  got  out  of  his  chair,  and  took  hold  of 
Debby's  trembling  arm.  He  was  a  large,  powerful 
man,  weighing  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  or  there- 
about, and  very  tall  and  straight;  and  he  towered  so 
high  above  the  little  maid  that  she  breathed  grate- 
fully, "O  Mr.  Wood  I  you  can  stop  them,"  she  cried. 

"What  does  the  child  mean?"  exclaimed  the  good 
man  again  in  perplexity;  then  he  started  to  the  door, 
still  holding  Debby's  arm.  "  Mother,"  he  called,  "  the 
little  Parlin  maid  seems  to  be  ill;  you  had  better 
come  and  care  for  her." 

"Oh,  I'm  not  ill!"  protested  Debby,  wringing  her 
hands  at  all  this  delay;  "I'm  afraid  for  Tory  Lee; 
don't  you  hear  them,  sir?  And  you,  Mr.  Flint  and 
Mr.  Merriam  ?  They're  going  to  do  dreadful  things  to 
him,  if  you  don't  stop  it." 


42        A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

'•The  girl  seems  to  have  something  on  her  mind," 
said  Mr.  Merriam,  jumping  from  his  chair,  "connected 
with  Tory  Lee."  He  hastened  to  the  window  and 
looked  out.  "  Ah,  Brother  Wood,  see  there ! "  he 
pointed  to  the  crowd  around  the  Lee  mansion. 

"In  that  case  our  conference  must  wait  a  bit,"  ob- 
served Mr.  Flint,  getting  out  of  his  chair  —  "until  we 
subdue  this  tumult,  whatever  it  is."  He  glanced  out 
the  window,  then  reached  for  his  hat  where  he  had 
hung  it  behind  the  door.  "  It  is  about  time  to  put  a 
stop  to  all  Tory  sentiments,  in  my  opinion,"  he  said, 
a  heavy  frown  settling  over  his  face. 

Brother  Wood  was  already  out  of  the  door.  "We 
have  need  of  great  judgment  to  proceed  aright.  This 
day  of  all  days  it  would  be  disastrous  for  a  riot  to  be- 
gin." He  strode  off  with  long  steps,  his  two  col- 
leagues coming  after  as  best  they  might,  and  only 
overtaking  him  as  he  entered  the  Lee  grounds. 

The  clamor  seemed  to  proceed  from  the  space  sur- 
rounding the  back  door  of  the  mansion,  and  to  this 
spot  Mr.  Ephraim  Wood  and  his  two  associates  now 
betook  themselves.  No  sooner  had  they  turned  the 
corner  of  the  large  house  than  the  scene  that  pre- 
sented itself  awakened  all  their  ire.  The  leader,  who 
towered  so  above  his  fellows,  thundered  out,  his  usu- 
ally calm  face  working  fearfully,  "Fellow  citizens, 


WITHIN  THE  LEE  MANSION.  43 

I  command  you  in  the  name  of  God  Almighty  to 
disperse.'' 

The  riotous  element,  at  this  juncture  attempting 
to  force  the  heavy  oaken  door,  was  composed  ot 
young  men;  and  seeing  the  fathers  of  law  and  order 
in  the  town,  headed  by  such  a  formidable  specimen 
as  Mr.  Wood,  advancing  toward  them  in  a  way 
that  meant  business,  each  one  began  to  fall  back 
on  the  other,  and  to  wish  himself  well  out  of  the 
affair. 

"God  knows  we  have  enough  to  bear,"  went  on 
Mr.  Wood  sternly,  ''without  disgracing  the  fair  name 
of  our  town.  Riot  and  disorderly  conduct  doth  not 
belong  to  Concord." 

"We've  suffered  through  this  man,"  spoke  up  one 
of  the  young  farmers,  more  clever  with  his  tongue 
since  he'd  once  ventured  to  air  an  opinion  in  one 
of  the  town  meetings  which  were  being  constantly 
held.  "No  one  knows  what  evil  he  will  do  if  not 
restrained." 

"Leave  that  to  those  who  can  perform  the  work 
better  than  you,"  commanded  Mr.  Wood  more 
sternly. 

"Rioting  and  personal  abuse  are  not  allowable  in 
this  town,"  said  Mr.  Merriam.  "We  will  take  care 
of  Dr.  Lee  at  the  proper  time." 


44        A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Another  instant's  work  and  you  would  have 
made  yourselves  liable  to  be  clapped  into  jail," 
cried  Mr.  Flint  with  anger.  "Away  with  you!" 
he  swung  his  knobby  stick,  which  he  had  taken  the 
precaution  to  bring,  around  his  head, —  "and  never 
get  into  such  work  again.  You'll  have  fighting  soon 
enough,. God  knows,  when  we  Can  all  band  together 
as  good  citizens  of  a  town  that  has  never  been  dis- 
graced. ' ' 

"Softly  there,  my  good  friend  Flint,"  said  Mr. 
Wood,  cooling  down  as  he  saw  the  other  firing  up, 
"  let  us  take  the  names  of  these  disturbers  of  our 
peace,  so  that  we  may  know  who  they  are  who 
would  threaten  the  good  name  of  Concord."  He 
swept  the  whole  circle  of  young  men  with  his  eye, 
some  of  whom  on  the  outskirts  were  endeavoring 
to  duck  and  steal  off  unobserved.  "No,  you  needn't 
hurry  away,  Jedediah  Platt,"  he  remarked  grimly 
to  such  an  one,  "since  I  know  you  perfectly  well, 
and  your  name  must  go  down  along  with  the  rest." 
From  the  breast  pocket  of  his  coat  he  took  out  a  big 
red  leather  wallet  much  worn,  as  it  had  belonged  to 
his  father  before  him.  Its  strap  ran  around  to  the 
opposite  side,  holding  the  papers  close  and  safe 
within.  It  was  lined  with  faded  blue  paper,  and 
contained  three  pockets.  Out  of  one  of  these  Mr. 


WITHIN  THE  LEE  MANSION.  45 

Wood  secured  the  necessary  bit  of  paper,  using  the 
end  of  a  letter  for  that  purpose;  and  taking  out  his 
pencil,  he  proceeded,  in  the  leisurely  judicial  way 
peculiar  to  him,  to  note  down  all  individuals  before 
him,  to  their  great  disgust  and  shame. 

When  he  came  to  Abner  Butterfield  he  looked  up 
in  surprise.  Mr.  Flint  gave  an  uneasy  ejaculation, 
while  Mr.  Merriam  showed  his  disdain  by  a  con- 
temptuous silence. 

"  Indeed,  sir,"  protested  Abner  hurriedly,  while 
the  scarlet  flew  into  his  brown  cheek,  "  I  had  nothing 
to  do  with  this  unhappy  business.  I  came  to  try 
to  stop  them." 

"Poor  influence  you've  had,  Abner,"  observed 
Mr.  Wood  with  irony.  "  I  should  have  supposed 
your  words  would  have  carried  more  weight." 

Haskins  sneered,  and  ground  the  heel  of  his  boot 
into  the  grass.  At  least  Abner  would  be  disgraced 
in  the  eyes  of  these  good  and  influential  citizens. 
That  was  something  to  be  rejoiced  at  anyway. 

"Your  name  must  go  down,"  said  Mr.  Wood 
calmly,  "with  the  others,  as  long  as  you  are  found 
here  with  them."  And  Abner  set  his  teeth  together 
hard  at  the  first  record  of  what  to  him  meant  ever- 
lasting disgrace. 

"And  now  away  with  you  all!"  roared  Mr.  Wood 


46        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

at  them,  the  taking  of  names  being  finished.  And 
what  with  this  command,  and  the  swinging  again  of 
Mr.  Flint's  knobby  stick  that  somehow  in  the  style 
of  his  performance  seemed  a  terror,  the  crowd  dis- 
persed, and  hurried  off  to  town — all  but  two  mem- 
bers of  it. 

Those  were  Abner  Butterfield  and  Jim  Haskins. 
The  latter,  not  content  with  the  sight  of  the  gloomy, 
set  face  overtopping  the  stalwart  figure  of  the  first- 
named  young  man,  chose  to  wait  for  him,  as  he 
walked  slowly,  evidently  with  a  desire  to  avoid  a 
meeting. 

"Seems  to  me  you're  awful  glum  over  it,"  remarked 
Haskins  with  an  unpleasant  grin,  stepping  to  Abner's 
side.  "I  d'no's  it's  any  worse  for  you  than  for  the 
rest  o'  us.  But  what  do  I  care?  Confusion  take 
'em ! "  He  snapped  his  fingers  off  toward  the  three 
dignitaries  who  had  just  read  them  the  law. 

No  answer.  Abner  strode  gloomily  on,  never  look- 
ing at  his  companion.  This  nettled  Haskins,  who  at 
least  wanted  the  consideration  of  hail  fellowship  with 
Abner,  which  thus  far  in  his  life  he  had  never  been 
able  to  obtain ;  but  now,  dragged  together  in  the  com- 
mon bond  of  misery,  he  looked  to  the  fulfilment  of 
his  desires  in  that  quarter.  "And  I'm  monstrous 
glad  you've  caught  it ! "  he  went  on,  at  sight  of  the 


WITHIN  THE  LEE  MANSION.  4? 

cold  face  turned  away  from  him,  while  his  compan- 
ion's head  was  carried  high. 

"Will  you  have  the  goodness,  Raskins,  to  go  your 
side  of  the  road,"  said  Abner,  "or  in  front,  I  don't 
care  which.  I  want  no  words  with  you  of  any  sort. 
All  I  desire  is  to  be  let  alone."  Still  he  didn't  look 
at  him. 

"And  that's  just  what  you  won't  have,"  cried  Has- 
kins,  irritated  beyond  measure  at  the  scorn  of  Abner's 
words  and  manner.  Then,  impelled  by  the  working- 
power  of  the  double  draughts  of  hard  cider  with  which 
he  had  fortified  himself  since  early  morning,  and 
without  a  bit  of  warning,  he  yelled  out,  "  You'll  never 
get  Debby  Parlin  if  you  try  all  your  life;  she'll  play 
with  you  as  she  plays  with  all;  a  curse  on  her  and 
on  you." 

Abner  Butterfield  turned  like  lightning,  his  face  a 
stormy  sea  over  which  tossed  the  waves  of  white 
wrath.  He  seized  the  coat  collar  of  the  man  before 
him,  and  shook  it  till  he  could  shake  no  more;  the 
figure  within  being  lifted  from  the  ground,  its  legs 
and  arms  flying  out  like  those  of  a  puppet.  The  end 
of  the  performance  saw  Haskins  in  the  ditch  in  a 
heap,  and  Abner  striding  down  the  road  after  saying, 
"Another  word  about  her  from  your  dastard's  throat, 
and  you'll  never  speak  more." 


48        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

Haskins  gathered  himself  from  the  ditch,  looked 
carefully  around  to  see  if  there  were  any  witnesses, 
then  shook  his  fist  at  the  departing  figure,  his  face 
swollen  with  passion.  There  were  no  words  to  come 
from  his  mouth. 

Meanwhile  Mr.  Wood  gave  a  vigorous  clang  of  the 
knocker  on  the  oaken  front  door  of  the  mansion. 
"It  is  I,"  he  said,  at  the  same  time,  reassuringly,  "Mr. 
Ephraim  Wood.  Do  you,  Brother  Flint,  step  to  the 
window  and  speak  within,  and  you  to  another  win- 
dow," nodding  to  Mr.  Merriam;  "  verily ;  they  are  all 
so  frightened  that  they  will  not  admit  us,  thinking  we 
are  come  to  molest  them." 

"The  curtains  are  all  drawn  tight,"  reported  Mr. 
Flint,  after  a  careful  reconnoitring  of  the  mansion, 
in  which  statement  Mr.  Merriam  concurred. 

"Then  we  must  resort  to  sterner  measures,"  said 
Mr.  Wood,  "  to  announce  who  we  are  ;  for  get  into  this 
house,  where  we  can  deliver  our  message,  we  must  and 
will."  He  stepped  off  to  the  greensward  in  front  of 
the  door.  "Approach  the  window,  Dr.  Lee,"  he 
called  in  stentorian  tones,  "for  I  have  somewhat  to 
say  to  you.  You  know  me  ;  I  am  your  neighbor,  and 
these  are  your  fellow-townsmen.  Surely  we  have  not 
come  to  harm  you,  but  to  a  peaceable  conference." 
All  this  he  delivered  as  if  to  a  large  assembly. 


WITHIN  THE  LEE  MANSION.  49 

It  had  the  effect,  before  it  was  half  through,  to  bring 
a  long,  nervous  hand  to  the  curtain-edge,  which  was 
pulled  aside  hesitatingly.  And  then,  by  the  time  the 
address  was  over,  the  window  was  open,  and  Dr.  Lee's 
head  appeared. 

"We  have  come  to  speak  to  you,  Dr.  Lee,"  said  Mr. 
Wood,  his  neighbor,  dropping  his  voice  to  its  accus- 
tomed note  of  calm  consideration,  "and  we  beg  that 
you  will  open  the  door  and  give  us  admittance." 

It  was  impossible  to  refuse  this  ;  and  the  big  oaken 
door  was  soon  ajar,  and  the  self-invited  guests  were 
passing  down  the  wide  wainscoted  hall  lined  with 
family  portraits. 

Dr.  Lee  nervously  threw  open  the  door  to  the  spa- 
cious room  on  the  right.  "Walk  in,  gentlemen,"  he 
said,  motioning  them  within.  He  was  very  pale  ;  and 
his  upper  lip,  well  pulled  down  over  the  lower,  con- 
cealed where  that  had  been  bitten  in  the  ordeal  of 
suspense  and  fear  he  had  just  endured.  Me  waited 
silently  for  them  to  speak,  and  followed  them  into  the 
apartment,  seating  himself  in  its  shadow  as  much  as 
was  consistent  with  his  ideas  of  hospitality,  that  was 
in  duty  bound  to  present  a  show  of  pleasure  at  t?  e 
visit. 

"Our  errand  is  on  a  most  unhappy  subject,"  began 
Mr.  Wood,  as  the  two  gentlemen  looked  to  him  to 


50        A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

begin  the  conversation.  "  It  is  useless  to  ignore  the 
fact  that  a  disturbance  has  been  made  in  your  house- 
place  this  morning,  even  to  threats  to  force  your 
door."  Mr.  Wood  was  not  one  to  mince  matters, 
but  usually  he  went  to  the  heart  of  the  truth  at  one 
bound. 

"  You  say  well  —  there  has  been  a  disturbance,"  be- 
gan Dr.  Lee  harshly;  and  rolling  back  his  upper  lip, 
the  little  stream  of  blood  released,  trickled  down  by 
a  slender  thread  to  his  waistcoat. 

"You  are  ill,  Brother  Lee,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Flint, 
starting  forward.  "Pray  do  not  try  to  talk,"  said  Mr. 
Wood  in  commiseration. 

"A  paltry  thing,"  exclaimed  Dr.  Lee  hastily,  to 
shut  off  the  sympathy  he  saw  coming  to  the  mouth  of 
Mr.  Meriam,  "only  a  lip-cut.  Yes,  the  outrage  com- 
mitted on  my  house  and  grounds  °s  a  dastardly  thing. 
Let  me  tell  you,  gentlemen,"  he  clinched  his  shapely 
hand,  and  brought  it  down  heavily  on  the  table  laden 
with  rare  china,  and  what  was  rarer  still  in  that  day, 
fine  books,  and  thrust  his  pale  face  over  toward 
them,  "such  an  outrage  is  subject  to  the  extremest 
penalty  of  the  law.  Concord  shall  pay  for  this." 

''Softly,  softly,  Brother  Lee,"  said  Mr.  Wood  in 
a  large,  calm  way.  The  other  two  men  hitched 
their  chairs  nervously  forward,  while  their  thin  lips 


WITHIN  THE  LEE  MANSION.  5 1 

trembled  with  their  eagerness  to  speak.  "  Extremes! 
penalty  of  the  law  are  hard  words  to  use,  and  threats 
toward  your  town  harder  yet.  Let  us  look  at  this 
matter."  He  crossed  his  long  legs,  and  folded  his 
large  hands  together  judicially.  "  A  number  of  young 
and  hot-headed  youths  have  committed  a  disturbance 
on  your  place,  —  a  disturbance,  Dr.  Lee,  urged  on  by 
certain  fixed  and  growing  opinions  held  to  by  many 
good,  reliable  residents  of  this  town,  that  you  are 
not  loyal  to  her  interests,  nor  to  the  interests  of  the 
Province  and  the  Colonies." 

"  I  am  loyal  to  her,  and  to  the  Province  and  to  the 
Colonies,"  broke  in  Dr.  Lee  excitedly.  His  pale  face 
trembled  with  his  eagerness,  and  again  he  clinched 
his  hand  fiercely.  "  I  am,  as  we  all  should  be,  a  good 
subject  of  our  king.  And  no  man  can  point  to  any- 
thing I  have  done,  who  dares  to  say  otherwise." 

"  Common  report  has  aired  many  dubious  things  on 
this  point  about  you,  Dr.  Lee,"  said  Mr.  Wood  so- 
berly. "God  grant  they  may  not  be  true." 

"They  are  not  true,"  declared  Dr.  Lee  in  a  shrill 
voice.  "Enemies  have  followed  me,  and  perverted 
many  things  from  their  rightful  meaning.  I  can  ex- 
plain them  all  satisfactorily." 

His  visitors  regarded  him  gravely.  He  ran  on  with 
the  air  of  a  man  desiring  complete  re-establishment 


52        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

in  good  favor,  and  cried  passionately,  "  And  if  I  have 
let  slip  at  any  time  an  unguarded  opinion,  surely 
every  man  can  hold  his  own  opinions,  and  I  am 
supposed  to  be  among  friends." 

"Too  many  opinions  on  the  subject  dear  to  our 
hearts,  American  liberty,  cannot  be  allowed,  Dr.  Lee," 
said  Mr.  Wood  quietly ;  "  there  can  be  but  one  opin- 
ion. Whoever  does  not  hold  to  the  right  one,  with 
the  rest  of  his  fellows,  must  be  content  to  be  ranked  an 
outsider.  He  puts  himself  there  by  his  own  hand." 

Dr.  Lee  cringed  an  instant,  but  immediately  rallied. 
"  And  again  I  say,"  he  boldly  asserted,  straightening 
himself  up  in  the  tall,  carved  chair,  "that  every  man 
is  entitled  to  his  opinions.  Liberty !  what  does  the 
word  mean  but  that?  And,  Brother  Wood,  pardon 
me  if  I  express  to  you  my  belief  that  you  may  come 
to  see  the  matter  as  I  do.  It  is  a  poor  time,  let  me 
tell  you,  for  this  outrage  to  have  taken  place  this 
morning,  when  our  king  has  sent  us  fresh  warning 
of  his  power  to  quell  our  aspirations  for  American 
Independence,  —  an  unpropitious  moment  truly  for  a 
good  and  loyal  subject  of  his  to  be  maltreated." 
He  laughed  triumphantly.  Mr.  Flint  and  Mr.  Meriam 
sat  with  flashing  eyes,  erect  on  their  chairs ;  but  they 
held  their  peace,  knowing  that  their  turn  to  speak 
would  soon  arrive. 


WITHIN  THE  LEE  MANSION.  53 

"And  hark  ye,  Dr.  Lee,"  Mr.  Wood  unclasped  his 
large  hands,  and  leaned  his  immense  height  forward 
while  he  sought  the  depths  of  the  other's  eyes,  "it 
is  mayhap  in  the  sight  of  God  the  best  time,  if  the 
disturbance  must  come,  that  you  should  be  brought 
to  see  on  this  very  day  what  a  temper  we  are  pos- 
sessed of.  Hardly  any  other  morning  could  it  have 
occurred.  It  is  just  because  the  news  has  aroused 
every  soul  in  this  town  that  the  excitement  has  proved 
unbearable.  It  must  vent  itself  on  anything  that 
points  to  even  the  slightest  suspicion  of  disloyalty  to 
our  hope  and  our  belief  in  ultimate  freedom." 

"We  are  waging  a  fearful  struggle,"  cried  Dr.  Lee 
to  gain  time,  and  to  feel  his  way,  while  he  controlled 
his  passion  at  the  leaping  forth  of  that  of  the  other. 

"We  can  but  die  —  and,  hark  ye!"  Mr.  Wood 
thundered  out  the  words,  while  he  brought  his  large 
hand  on  the  table  with  a  noise,  which,  compared  to 
that  produced  by  a  similar  cause  on  the  part  of  his 
host,  was  a  Niagara  roar  beside  a  purling  brook. 
Every  article  on  the  table  danced  and  quivered.  Dr. 
Lee  involuntarily  moved  back  his  chair.  "  But  we 
will  die  free  men  —  hark  ye  that !  "  He  brought  his 
large  face  forward  with  a  thrust  at  his  neighbor  —  a 
face  in  which  an  innumerable  host  seemed  to  speak 
and  protest  their  willingness  to  fight  for  what  was 


54        A   LITTLE  MAW   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

dearer  to  them  than  life.  And  for  a  minute,  while 
the  ponderous  old  corner  clock  ticked  off  the  sec- 
onds, the  two  looked  at  each  other,  and  no  one  spoke 
or  stirred. 

"And  instead  of  the  extremest  penalty  of  the  law," 

it  was  Mr.  Meriam  who  broke  the  silence, —  "let 

me  tell  you,  Dr.  Lee,  it  is  you  who  have  cause  to  fear. 
There  are  laws  that  once  broken  cannot  be  forgiven. 
Arraigned  before  the  bar  of  an  insulted  and  outraged 
town,  one  who  broke  such  a  law  would  stand  but  a  poor 
chance.  I  advise  you  to  meditate  well  on  this  point." 

"And  it  is  in  your  power  to  protect  yourself,"  ob- 
served Mr.  Flint  incisively,  "but  not  much  longer  in 
our  power  to  protect  you.  We  have  done  our  best  this 
morning,  as  you  very  well  know;  but  the  times  are  get- 
ting more  troublous,  and  we  cannot  answer  for  your 
safety  if  increasing  suspicion  points  to  you." 

"Brother  Lee,"  said  Mr.  Wood,  getting  out  of  his 
chair,  and  drawing  himself  up  to  his  great  height,  "  I 
pray  you  to  ponder  well  our  words.  We  have  much 
business  before  us  in  the  coming  hours,  and  we  will 
wish  you  good-day."  He  signed  to  his  associates,  who 
went  through  the  same  form  of  leave-taking,  to  be  dis- 
missed at  the  big  green  door  with  punctilious  polite- 
ness by  the  pale-faced  man,  the  little  blood-stream 
still  trickling  over  his  waistcoat. 


ONE  LITTLE   CARTRIDGE.  55 


IV. 

ONE   LITTLE   CARTRIDGE. 

IT  was  a  stormy  night,  wild  and  forbidding.  The 
rain  poured  down  pitilessly  upon  the  scattered 
farmhouses,  and  beat  about  the  windows,  against 
whose  panes  the  sodden  branches  were  tossed  by 
the  wind  that  arose  at  nightfall.  In  about  an  hour 
it  blew  a  gale. 

Three  men  were  wending  their  solitary  way  to  the 
farmhouse  where  their  deliberations  were  to  take 
place.  The  countenances  of  all  were  animated  by  a 
stern  resolve,  as  if,  by  slow  accretions  of  strength, 
their  owners  had  arrived  at  a  determination,  that,  once 
fixed,  became  unalterable.  The  firmly  set  mouth,  the 
eye  glowing  with  the  fire  of  resolution  —  each  and 
all  bore  the  same  expression;  yet  in  build  and  gen- 
eral make-up  the  pedestrians  were  widely  different. 

At  last  the  paths  of  two  of  them  converged  in  the 
road  leading  to  Captain  James  Barrett's  house,  the 
place  of  meeting.  And  they  fell  into  conversation, 
and  spoke  out  of  full  hearts. 


56        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"  The  times  are  troublous  to  that  degree  that  nothing 
worse  can  come  to  us  than  death,"  said  one.  "We  are 
slaves  in  reality,  though  bearing  all  the  semblance  of 
free  men,"  he  added  bitterly. 

"That  is  so,"  assented  the  other  gloomily,  letting 
his  head  drop  on  his  breast. 

"Yet  we  must  not  despond,"  the  first  man  made 
haste  to  reply,  as  he  saw  the  effect  of  his  words,  "or 
all  is  lost.  It  is  only  by  keeping  our  heads  cool,  and 
preserving  our  resolution,  that  we  can  strike  the  blow 
when  the  time  arrives.  And  that  time  will  soon  be 
here." 

"Thank  God!  "  exclaimed  the  other,  rousing  out  of 
his  temporary  depression ;  "  to  strike  would  be  heaven 
indeed.  It  is  this  delay  that  is  killing  us  all,  when 
we  see  each  day  is  but  the  season  for  fresh  indignity 
and  privation.  My  very  soul  burns  within  me  for  the 
fight  to  begin." 

"You  would  not  have  us  strike  the  first  blow, 
Brother  Whitney?  "  ventured  the  first  man,  more  for 
the  opportunity  of  a  remark,  than  because  he  doubted 
the  answer.  "  Surely  that  would  be  certain  death  and 
disaster,  besides  being  wicked.  We  are  a  righteous 
people  and  law-abiding.  Let  the  tyrant  strike  first, 
and  begin  the  war;  then  we  will  show  him  we  are 
ready  for  it." 


ONE  LITTLE   CARTRIDGE.  57 

In  his  excitement  he  bared  his  head  to  the  pitiless 
storm,  while  silently  invoking  the  aid  of  that  God  in 
whom  he  believed. 

"I  agree  with  you  wholly,  Brother  Hosmer,"  said 
Mr.  Whitney,  "only  I  am  for  such  plain  and  square 
statements  now  from  the  people  of  Concord  that  there 
can  be  no  doubt  as  to  our  way  of  looking  at  the 
matter." 

"  I  did  not  think  there  ever  had  been  much  occasion 
for  doubt  in  our  former  words,  when  opportunity  hath 
given  us  power  to  speak,"  remarked  Mr.  Hosmer 
dryly. 

"True,  true,"  cried  Mr.  Whitney.  "And  now," 
clinching  his  good  right  hand,  "they  shall  hear  it 
more  than  ever  from  our  town.  Concord  shall  speak 
as  never  before,  although  I  grant  you  we  have  been 
plain  and  square  of  speech.  We  care  not  for  the 
British  foe  on  land  or  sea.  We  are  free,  despite 
King  George  himself  !  " 

The  other  repressed  the  sigh  that  was  on  his  lips, 
and  gazed  in  sympathy  at  his  fellow-citizen,  as  the 
third  man,  whose  approach  in  the  rain  and  darkness 
had  not  been  observed,  now  drew  near. 

"I  could  hear  your  words,"  he  said,  "  and  I  am  with 
you,  Brother  Whitney."  He  carried  the  same  daunt- 
less front,  although  his  words  were  quiet 


58        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCOKD    TOWN. 

"  So  are  we  all,  I  believe,"  declared  Mr.  Hosmer. 
"And  we  shall  soon  have  a  chance  to  prove  our  speech, 
Brother  Heywood.  Well,  here  we  are,"  as  a  candle 
gleaming  in  the  Barrett  homestead  beckoned  them  on 
to  light  and  warmth. 

"We  have  a  task  to  do  to-night  that,  please  God, 
will  help  forward  the  work,"  he  added,  as  they  passed 
over  the  greensward  before  the  door;  "anything  is 
better  than  this  wretched  suspense.  Our  words,  as  we 
write  them  to-night,  must  be  strong,  to  arouse  every 
soul  who  shall  hear  them  to  his  duty." 

The  big  door  was  thrown  wide,  and  the  good  man 
of  the  house  stood  before  them. 

He  was  over  sixty  years  of  age,  yet  his  counte- 
nance glowed  with  the  enthusiasm  of  youth.  He 
held  the  door  wide,  as  if  awaiting  them  impatiently. 
"Come  in,  friends,"  he  cried,  drawing  them  from  the 
storm  and  the  wind ;  "  lay  off  your  wet  garments  in 
here."  He  led  the  way  through  to  the  big  kitchen, 
where  the  large  logs  were  crackling  in  the  fireplace, 
and  the  kettle  steamed  suggestively. 

Mrs.  Barrett,  a  goodly  matron  of  stately  mien,  rose 
to  greet  them;  and  by  her  side  was  Miliscent,  the 
eldest  granddaughter,  a  tall,  slender  girl  with  beautiful 
dark  hair  and  eyes.  With  kind  intent,  they  soon 
assisted  the  new-comers  to  dispose  of  the  dripping 


ONE  LITTLE    CARTRIDGE.  59 

cloaks  and  hats,  that  presently  sent  out  in  the  warmth, 
induced  by  the  hot  fire,  a  steam  that  proclaimed  the 
drying  process  well  advanced. 

"  It  is  a  sorry  night,"  observed  Mrs.  Barrett  to  open 
conversation. 

"  To  say  the  truth,  madam,  I  have  not  been  troubled 
by  it,"  said  Mr.  Hosmer;  "nor,  I  venture  to  say  has 
either  of  my  companions.  We  carry  about  with  us 
continually  such  a  storm  in  our  hearts,  that  the  ele- 
ments might  war  about  us,  and  we  should  call  it 
child's  play  in  comparison." 

Mrs.  Barrett  sighed;  and  Miliscent,  who  stood  near, 
felt  her  young  cheek  glow,  while  she  said,  and  her 
eyes  blazed,  "  I  hope  you  will  do  something  to-night," 
including  them  all  in  her  glance,  "that  will  make  the 
wicked  king  see  he  cannot  grind  us  any  more  beneath 
his  tyranny." 

"  Miliscent!  Miliscent!  "  reproved  her  grandmother. 

"I  do!  "  asserted  Miliscent  stoutly,  though  usually 
she  was  most  submissive  to  those  in  authority.  "  O 
grandmother !  do  let  me  say  it ;  I  should  die  if  I 
didn't." 

Captain  Barrett  looked  as  if  about  to  answer  her, 
but  said  instead,  "  You  must  take  your  hot  toddy, 
friends,  and  drive  the  cold  out.  Wife,  bring  the  de- 
canter and  the  boiling  water." 


60        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

The  making  of  the  toddy  was  religiously  believed 
in  through  all  the  Colonies  as  a  neighborly  and  family 
rite  of  universal  distinction;  and  the  old  silver  tank- 
ard and  the  decanter  must  necessarily  take  the  post 
of  honor  in  the  setting  out  on  the  buffet.  To-night 
the  manner  observed  in  partaking  of  the  steaming 
tankard  seemed  like  that  of  a  sacrament.  Each  man 
sipped  his  portion  silently  with  that  abstracted  and 
fixed  gaze  that  showed  him  lost  in  thought.  All  the 
joy  and  neighborly  gayety  were  lacking;  more  like  to 
the  pledging  of  vows  it  was,  as  the  cup  was  passed 
around.  And  at  last  the  silence  became  so  painful 
that  Miliscent  stirred  uneasily  in  her  chair,  and 
looked  as  if  the  tears  were  about  to  fall  over  cheeks 
blanched  with  efforts  to  keep  them  back. 

"Well,  friends,"  said  the  host,  breaking  the  pause, 
"  if  you  will  not  take  any  more  toddy,  we  will  adjourn 
to  the  muster-room.  Wife,  see  that  there  is  no 
noise,  for  we  shall  need  all  our  thoughts  in  unin- 
terrupted quiet." 

The  men  rose  and  filed  out  silently.  Miliscent 
gave  a  low  cry  as  the  last  one  disappeared.  "O 
grandmother!  how  can  you  sit  so  still.  I  can't  bear 
it;"  and  she  sank  down  on  the  floor,  and  buried  her 
head  in  Mrs.  Barrett's  lap. 

''Dear  child,"  said  Mrs.  Barrett  with  a  low  groan, 


ONE  LITTLE   CARTRIDGE.  6l 

while  her  fingers  smoothed  the  soft  dark  hair,  "my 
heart  is  sore  and  affrighted,  but  it  will  not  do  to 
give  way.  Your  father  and  Mr.  Hosmer,  Mr.  Whit- 
ney and  Mr.  Heywood,  need  to  be  encouraged,  and 
it  is  all  we  women  can  do  to  stay  their  minds  and 
hearts.  If  they  saw  us  fretting  and  repining,  it 
would  only  burden  them  with  useless  sorrow.  We 
must  prove  ourselves  worthy  of  them  and  our  town, 
and  we  must  do  our  part  to  save  it." 

Her  eyes  glowed  as  much  as  the  young  girl's;  and 
her  heart  beat  fast,  although  her  fingers,  moving  in 
and  out  the  soft  hair,  were  steady  and  cool. 

"  But  think  what  we  have  suffered  —  see  what  we 
are  enduring  now!  "  cried  Miliscent,  raising  her  head 
in  a  flame  of  anger.  "  Can  we  —  ought  we  to  bear 
it  longer  before  we  openly  rebel?  Say,  grand- 
mother. Oh!  why  doesn't  God  help  us?"  She 
brought  the  last  words  out  in  a  wail,  and  her  head 
sank  again  to  Mrs.  Barrett's  lap. 

"Listen,  Miliscent;"  the  woman's  face  was  very 
pale,  and  her  inward  prayer  for  wisdom  to  speak, 
unloosened  her  lips.  "The  Lord  is  mighty  and  will 
prevail." 

"  Oh  !  that  is  what  Parson  Emerson  preaches, "  broke 
in  Miliscent  impatiently;  "but  why  doesn't  God  help 
us  now,  grandmother?  We've  borne  all  we  can." 


62        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"  No ! "  Mrs.  Barrett's  voice  rang  out  clear  and 
true.  She  raised  her  eyes  to  heaven.  "  Thank  God, 
we  can  bear  everything  for  him.  '  If  he  slay  me, 
yet  will  I  trust  him.'  Miliscent,  stop  at  once  "  —  and 
her  tone  was  of  authority  that  the  girl  knew  allowed 
of  no  disobedience  —  "  all  this  foolish  repining.  The 
Lord's  hand  is  not  so  heavy  that  it  cannot  save.  He 
will  come,  and  that  right  early,  in  his  own  good  time, 
to  our  relief.  Do  not  be  afraid." 

The  girl  stole  a  glance  at  her  grandmother's  face, 
and  was  awe-struck  to  see  how  it  shone,  as  if  Heaven's 
own  light  were  really  on  it. 

"  And  now  sit  down  to  your  spinning  at  once,"  said 
Mrs.  Barrett,  rousing  herself  to  speak  in  her  usual 
brisk  manner ;  "  nothing  drives  out  the  desire  for  use- 
less repining,  quicker  than  work.  Sit  down  and  do 
a  stent."  And  the  whirring  of  the  wheel  proclaiming 
her  command  obeyed,  she  went  to  her  bedroom, 
buttoned  fast  the  door,  to  fall  on  her  knees  by  the 
old  four-poster,  and  pour  out  her  soul  in  prayer  for 
the  deliberations  going  on  in  the  muster-room. 

The  next  morning  dawned  bright  and  clear,  with 
no  trace  of  the  late  storm,  save  that  here  and  there 
branches  strewed  the  ground  where  they  had  fallen 
twisted  from  the  parent  trees.  Miliscent  had  re- 
mained over  night.  In  truth,  she  was  as  often  at  the 


ONE   LITTLE   CARTRIDGE.  63 

old  homestead  as  at  her  father's  house  next  door ;  for 
she  was  a  favorite  grandchild,  and  she  fitted  well  into 
the  ways  of  the  older  household.  She  threw  wide  the 
shutter  of  the  little  room,  that  was  always  hers  when 
she  stayed  at  grandfather's,  and  looked  without.  The 
svm  was  coming  up  bright  and  golden,  a  rosy  flush 
pervading  the  sky  to  mark  his  advances.  The  fresh, 
sweet  air  poured  into  the  chamber  laden  with  that 
peculiar  resinous  quality  that  follows  a  heavy  rain, 
and  all  the  shining  landscape  lay  fair  and  wholesome 
as  a  maiden's  dream  could  depict  it.  Miliscent  leaned 
her  elbows  upon  the  sill,  and  rested  her  head  upon 
her  hands,  to  drink  it  all  in. 

"  War  —  and  bloodshed !  Oppression  and  distress  !  " 
the  smiling  scene  seemed  to  belie  the  very  existence 
of  such  facts  in  God's  universe.  And  Miliscent  for 
the  moment  felt  as  gladsome  as  a  child,  simply  in  the 
delight  of  living.  As  far  as  her  eyes  could  reach, 
were  the  broad  acres  belonging  to  her  grandfather. 
No  evidence  was  there  of  aught  but  peace  and  plenty; 
all  was  repose.  The  cattle  off  in  the  barnyard  were 
lowing  at  the  gate,  preparatory  to  their  departure 
for  the  luscious  pasture  across  the  road,  and  the 
fowls  stepping  about  and  picking  up  the  early  worms 
beneath  her  window  had  the  same  soothing  air  of 
content  and  security  that  broods  over  farm-life. 


64        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

The  girl  looking  on  at  the  window  caught  this  rest- 
ful spirit,  and  it  seemed  as  if  an  uneasy  dream  had 
been  the  occasion  of  all  former  disquietude.  Here 
was  reality. 

But  presently  she  started  back  as  if  struck  by 
some  unseen  hand.  "  O  God !  "  she  cried,  "  how  can 
I  forget,  even  for  an  instant?  Our  homes  —  what  do 
they  mean  to  us?  Only  that  we  can  keep  them  on 
sufferance,  and  in  obedience  to  wicked  mandates. 
Any  instant  they  are  likely  to  be  taken  from  us, 
and  we  to  become  the  slaves  that  we  really  are.  Oh! 
if  I  could  do  something  to  help  my  poor,  suffering 
country. ' ' 

She  suddenly  left  the  window,  and  threw  herself 
down  by  the  bed,  burying  her  young  face  in  the  dimity 
counterpane.  "Dear  God,"  she  breathed  brokenly, 
"give  me  something  that  my  hands  can  do,  to  help 
forward  our  righteous  struggle.  Hear  me,  O  God  ! " 
Then  she  hurried  over  to  the  old-fashioned  wash- 
stand  in  the  corner,  and  from  the  basin  dashed  up 
the  clear  water  on  her  flushed  and  tear-stained  face. 

"Grandmother,"  Miliscent  went  up  to  Mrs.  Bar- 
rett's side  as  she  bent  over  the  morning  meal  of 
ham  and  eggs  frying  in  the  spider;  "I  am  going 
to  get  the  rest  of  the  breakfast.  Sit  down  in  the 
keeping-room,  do,  you  look  so  hot  and  tired." 


ONE  LITTLE   CARTRIDGE.  65 

"  Miliscent,  it  is  good  for  me  to  have  my  hands 
occupied,"  said  Mrs.  Barrett.  Yet  she  turned  and 
looked  long  and  lovingly  into  the  face  beside  her. 
In  truth,  it  was  a  comely  sight. 

Miliscent's  dark  hair  was  braided  away  neatly 
from  either  side  of  her  shapely  head;  there  was  the 
glow  of  health  upon  her  cheek,  and  a  dewy  light  in 
the  dark  eyes,  that  had  a  deep  and  tender  look  in 
their  depths  as  they  rested  gravely  on  her  grand- 
mother's face.  It  was  as  if  she  had,  while  losing 
none  of  her  youth,  grown  suddenly  alive  to  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  the  hour,  and  glad  to  feel  the 
weight  of  them  upon  her  strong  young  shoulders. 
There  was  altogether  such  a  new  expression  on  her 
face,  that  Mrs.  Barrett  hastened  to  add,  "Don't  worry, 
Miliscent,  nor  take  all  this  trouble  too  much  to  heart. 
You  are  young;  it  is  for  us  who  are  old  and  experi- 
enced, who  should  bear  the  burden  and  the  distress." 

"I  do  not  worry,"  said  Miliscent,  throwing  back 
her  head  as  she  spoke.  "And  I  am  glad  to  cast 
in  my  lot,  and  endure  suffering  with  all  the  others, 
who  perchance  are  old  and  experienced.  Grand- 
mother, I  hope  God  is  going  to  give  something  into 
my  hand  to  help  forward  this  struggle  for  freedom." 
Her  delicate  nostril  quivered  and  her  bosom  heaved; 
but  there  was  a  light  in  her  eye,  and  her  grand- 


66        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

mother  gazed  at  her,  the  fork  with  which  she  had 
been  turning  the  ham  poised  in  the  air. 

"Child,  child,  what  has  come  to  you?"  she  ex- 
claimed, not  without  admiration. 

"  I  cannot  tell,  grandmother.  I  only  know  that  God 
will  hear  my  prayer  to  be  allowed  to  help  onward  this 
mighty  struggle  against  wrong  and  oppression." 

"You  do  help  —  you  are  a  tower  of  strength  every 
day!"  cried  Mrs.  Barrett.  "In  these  two  houses  you 
are  light  and  sunshine  and  hope.  And  your  grand- 
father was  saying  but  the  other  day,  that  to  hear  your 
step  and  to  see  your  face  were  rest  and  comfort  to 
him.  It  is  no  small  thing,  Miliscent,  to  be  the  stay  of 
such  a  good  man  as  he  is." 

Miliscent's  cheeks  glowed,  and  the  tears  ran  down 
her  young  face.  She  put  both  arms  around  her  grand- 
mother and  embraced  her,  a  proceeding  that  aston- 
ished them  both  equally,  for  New  England  reticence 
forbade  many  endearing  expressions  of  the  affection 
that  lay  deeply  hidden  in  the  heart.  Then  she  said, 
and  this  time  she  took  the  fork  not  ungently  from  her 
grandmother's  hand,  "Do  you  go  and  rest.  At  least 
this  burden  I  can  take  from  you;"  and  she  pleaded 
with  her  dark  eyes  till  Mrs.  Barrett  yielded,  and  left 
her  with  the  task. 

Miliscent  had  run  over  home  to  help  her  mother 


ONE  LITTLE   CARTRIDGE.  67 

with  the  morning  work,  and  having  finished  the  last 
duty  required,  that  of  inducting  Patty  into  a  clean 
checked  apron,  and  seating  her  at  a  stent  on  a  sam- 
pler, she  was  hurrying  back  to  Grandfather  Barrett's, 
skimming  over  the  greensward  that  lay  between  the 
two  houses,  her  thoughts  busy  with  the  ever-present 
topic,  and  her  heart  beating  with  her  new  and  high- 
born hope,  unconscious  that  she  had  reached  the  little 
path  that  led  up  to  the  old  door,  till  she  heard  a  light 
and  musical  laugh,  and  looking  up,  she  espied  a  young 
and  decidedly  handsome  British  officer  gazing  at  her 
with  ill-concealed  admiration. 

He  was  just  before  her  in  the  path,  and  advancing 
to  the  door.  He  stepped  back;  his  hand  went  to 
his  cap,  while  he  made  her  a  deep  bow,  and  then  stood 
with  uncovered  head  for  her  to  pass. 

"You  desire  to  see  my  grandfather,  I  presume.  He 
is  not  at  home,  but  will  probably  be  in  soon,"  said 
Miliscent,  preserving  her  self-possession,  and  looking 
more  like  a  wild-flower  than  ever,  her  head  erect  on  its 
graceful  neck.  "Pray  walk  in;"  for  it  was  the  custom 
for  Captain  Barrett  and  his  son  James  to  furnish  oat- 
meal and  other  provisions  through  the  Commissary 
Department  of  Boston,  young  staff-officers  being  sent 
out  to  Concord  in  connection  with  the  transaction  of 
the  business. 


68        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"I  do;  but  pardon  me  a  moment,  time  is  not  so 
pressing,  I  am  sure,"  said  the  young  officer  hastily. 
"I  pray  you  to  give  me  a  few  words." 

"Time  is  pressing  with  me,"  said  Miliscent,  paus- 
ing with  one  foot  on  the  flat  door-stone.  "  We  are 
poor  people,  sir,  and  need  to  work  with  our  hands 
for  our  subsistence."  She  spoke  with  a  sweet  seren- 
ity, and  a  dignity  that  made  him  again  bow  invol- 
untarily. 

"Ah,"  he  said  with  a  smile,  and  the  color  leaped 
to  his  cheek  as  he  spoke,  "  you  would  refuse  me  the 
right  of  conversation,  and  treat  me  as  if  I  were  an 
outcast,  merely,  forsooth,  I  presume,  because  I  am  a 
good  subject  of  my  king  and  yours." 

"Not  so,"  said  Miliscent  gravely;  "you  do  wrong 
to  say  I  refuse  to  talk  with  you. .  Indeed,  I  am 
glad  to  speak  my  mind,  and  to  say  what  is  on  my 
heart.  You  will  but  take  offence  at  it,  though,  I  am 
sure." 

"  Nay,  nay,  fair  Rebel,"  said  the  young  officer  with 
a  laugh,  while  his  color  heightened  and  his  blue  eye 
was  clear  and  sunny;  "you  shall  say  what  you  will, 
and  I  promise  you  on  my  good  sword  here,"  he 
tapped  the  hilt  as  he  spoke,  and  he  looked  at  her 
long  and  earnestly,  "that  I  will  recognize  no  affront 
in  your  words." 


ONE  LITTLE   CARTRIDGE.  69 

"A  rebel  I  may  seem  to  you,"  Miliscent  tossed  her 
shapely  head.  "  I  am  proud  to  rebel  against  the  unjust 
mandates  of  such  a  king  as  you  seem  glad  to  serve. 
I  would  live  on  bread  and  water  all  my  days  rather 
than  to  submit  tamely." 

"  I  believe  you,"  said  the  young  Briton,  all  the 
laugh  dropping  out  of  his  face,  while  his  eyes  grew 
grave.  He  rested  his  right  foot  on  the  step  above 
him,  upon  which  Miliscent  stood,  and  laid  his  palm 
on  his  knee.  "And  yet,  Miss  Barrett,  do  you  know,'' 
his  voice  dropped  to  a  low  tone  as  he  said  earnestly, 
"  there  is  not  the  smallest  chance  that  you  can  ever 
be  victorious.  Better  be  warned,  and  give  up  the 
struggle." 

"We  shall  be  victorious!"  cried  Miliscent  defiantly, 
while  her  eyes  flashed.  "Do  not  say  such  dreadful 
things  to  me.  We  shall  —  we  must  conquer  in  the 
end  ! " 

The  young  soldier  shook  his  head  sadly,  like  one 
who  hates  to  say  unwelcome  truths.  Yet  he  repeated, 
"You  do  not  know  whereof  you  speak  —  you  are 
like  a  child  if  you  entertain  a  thought  of  victory. 
And  your  fathers  and  brothers  are  mad  to  attempt 
it." 

His  pitying  look  changed  to  one  of  scorn  at  the 
thought  of  those  men  who,  instead  of  being  the 


70        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN, 

guard  and  protector  of  just  such  defenceless  maidens 
as  she,  were  exposing  them  to  dangers  untold  by  the 
defiant  insurrections  to  which  they  were  goading  them- 
selves. 

"  I  do  not  for  an  instant  believe,  neither  do  any  of 
us  believe,"  said  Miliscent,  warming  as  she  proceeded, 
"  that  we  can  ever  be  conquered.  God  will  not  allow 
it.  He  brought  us  over  here  to  this  country  be- 
cause we  could  not  worship  him  in  England,  and  do 
you  think  —  can  you  believe,  that  he  would  desert 
us?" 

Her  face  glowed,  and  her  bosom  heaved.  She  stood 
erect  before  him,  and  as  she  waited  for  a  reply,  some 
sort  of  an  answer  was  necessary.  He  brought  his 
foot  to  the  ground,  and  turned  away  abruptly  to  ex- 
amine the  distant  landscape.  As  he  did  not  believe 
in  the  God  of  whom  she  spoke,  he  was  at  a  loss  for 
words,  yet  unwilling  to  dampen  such  a  faith  as  shone 
in  her  eyes  and  glowed  on  her  cheek.  And  for  the 
first  time,  strange  to  say,  he  felt  a  shadow  of  impend- 
ing evil,  too  intangible  and  vague  to  be  put  into 
words,  settle  over  him,  while  the  slender  young  daugh- 
ter of  the  house  of  Barrett  seemed  a  representative  of 
a  mighty  power,  indefinable,  but  terrible,  whose  oppo- 
sition was  deadly.  The  doughty  old  farmer-soldier, 
her  grandfather,  and  others  like  him,  who  were  putting 


ONE  LITTLE   CARTRIDGE.  71 

themselves  to  the  front  with  their  insubordination, 
loomed  up  now  with  a  hitherto  unknown  quality  that 
was  to  be  respected  if  not  feared. 

Finding  himself  in  such  a  predicament  as  to  experi- 
ence this  uncomfortable  sensation,  he  dashed  out  the 
first  thing  that  came  in  his  head,  and  glad  to  find  a 
reaction  in  his  mind  as  he  proceeded,  he  said  abruptly, 
"  Well,  then,  if  you  persist  in  your  rebellion,  you  bring 
its  consequences  on  your  own  head.  The  king  is  not 
to  be  blamed  in  that  event." 

"  The  king  !  "  retorted  Miliscent  scornfully ;  "  talk 
not  to  me  of  kings.  We  want  no  king  but  God.  He 
is  merciful,  and  does  not  grind  his  creatures  to  the 
dust.  If  we  die,  why  we  must.  Better  so  than  to  be 
slaves."  She  turned  away,  her  bosom  panting  with 
suppressed  feeling,  and  her  eyes  flashing  with  scorn, 
yet  her  lip  trembled  as  if  her  woman's  heart  had  borne 
all  it  could. 

"  Stay,  Mistress  Barrett,"  cried  the  young  officer, 
stepping  to  the  flat  door-stone  beside  her,  "  my  words 
seem  cold  and  hard,  I  know.  I  was  only  endeavoring 
to  warn  you.  You  have,  I  know,  much  influence  in 
this  home  and  this  village,  and  you  might  even  now 
turn  the  tide  of  bitter  feeling  into  something  more 
reasonable  and  befitting  your  condition." 

"And  I  would  not  turn  my  little  finger  to  influence 


72        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

one  of  our  brave  townsmen  to  aught  but  deadly  com- 
bat and  resistance  to  our  foe,  King  George,  and  all 
you  whom  he  sends  over  here  to  oppress  us,"  she  flung 
at  him  over  her  shoulder.  Then  she  turned  swiftly, 
and  a  beautiful  and  grave  expression  settled  over  lip 
and  cheek  and  brow,  "  Listen,  sir ;  you  do  not  seem  to 
know  the  stuff  the  men  of  Concord  are  made  of.  It  is 
because  you  wilfully  determine  not  to  know.  I  tell 
you  this  is  no  child's  play  at  war,  nor  any  sudden 
determination  to  fight  you,  and  tyrants  like  you,  to  the 
death.  We  have  grown  for  many  long  months  and 
years  into  preparation  for  it;  we  have  prayed  to  God, 
and  we  have  held  counsel  together;  we  have  studied 
it  all  better  than  you,  who  are  only  occupied  in  don- 
ning your  gaudy  coats  and  trappings."  She  glanced 
in  derision  along  the  brilliant  surface  of  his  uniform, 
although,  truth  to  tell,  poor  Miliscent  had  sore  trial 
with  her  feminine  leanings  toward  the  trickery  and 
splendor  of  fine  apparel,  not  to  admire  it  strongly, 
and  the  bright  face  above  it.  Yet  now  she  rose 
superior  to  all  such  weakness,  and  her  tone  gathered 
scorn,  whereat  the  young  Briton  wilted  perceptibly. 
"You  have  no  thought  beyond  your  gay  clothes  and 
gewgaws,"  she  said  bitterly;  "to  you  it  is  doubt- 
less a  pretty  pastime  to  come  over  the  sea  to  sub- 
jugate poor  farmers;  but  we  —  ah!  you  will  find  that 


ONE  LITTLE   CARTRIDGE.  73 

Concord  Town,  and  all  our  other  towns,  are  full  of 
men,  ay,  and  women  too,  who  are  fully  prepared  to 
meet  you.  Sir,"  she  drew  her  tall  and  slen4er  figure 
to  its  full  height,  "  I  give  you  to  understand  that  we 
will  fight  till  we  die,  but  we  will  never  give  up  to 
you ! " 

"I  believe  you,"  exclaimed  the  young  man  invol- 
untarily, and  with  an  admiration  that  he  could  not 
conceal.  "Well  now,  my  pretty  maid,"  he  took 
refuge  in  a  bantering  tone  to  hide  his  real  feeling, 
"there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  brave  spirit,  but  no  ma- 
terial to  work  with.  What  will  you  do  when  your 
ammunition  gives  out,  as  give  out  it  surely  will? 
Our  ships  think  nothing  of  crossing  the  sea;  our  arms 
and  accoutrements  can  never  be  exhausted.  Why, 
your  men  do  not  know  how  to  make  even  a  cartridge. 
What  will  serve  you  then  ?  I  give  you  a  tough  ques- 
tion to  answer." 

"We  will  make  good  use  of  our  powder-horns  and 
our  bullets,"  said  Miliscent  calmly;  "and  we  will 
shoot  any  invading  enemy  just  as  we  shoot  fierce  and 
hungry  bears  that  molest  us." 

"That  would  be  cruel  in  the  last  degree,"  ex- 
claimed the  young  man.  "At  least,  if  you  are  to 
slay  us  all,  do  it,  I  pray,  in  a  civilized  manner." 
He  suddenly  turned  and  swept  the  ground  with  his 


74        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

gaze.  "Ah,  I  have  it,"  and  he  picked  up  a  pine  stick; 
quickly,  with  deft  strokes  with  his  pocket-knife, 
he  fashioned  it  to  a  shape  suiting  his  fancy,  then 
thrust  his  hand  into  the  breast-pocket  of  his  coat, 
and  drew  out  a  letter.  Across  its  back  was  the 
superscription  in  a  woman's  hand;  on  the  front  was 
the  big  red  wafer  that  had  sealed  it  closely.  The 
young  officer  whirled  it  open,  searching  for  a  blank 
space.  "My  mother's  letter,"  he  said,  and  a  shade 
swept  over  his  mobile  countenance.  "I  thought  to 
find  a  clean  bit  to  tear  off." 

"Stay,"  begged  Miliscent,  with  a  pang  at  thought 
of  harm  to  the  mother's  letter,  "I  will  get  you  a 
piece  of  paper."  She  ran  into  the  house,  and  came 
back,  bringing  it,  and  a  pair  of  scissors  from  her 
work-bag. 

"You  are  a  good  girl,"  said  the  young  soldier, 
shutting  up  the  letter  with  emotion.  "I  have  been 
reading  it  again.  My  mother  says,  '  My  son,  re- 
member to  keep  your  feet  from  evil  ways,  and  be 
not  led  by  your  companions  into  aught  that  would 
bring  discredit  to  your  family  name  —  or  to  your 
early  training.'  Ah!  if  she  knew  in  what  company 
I  am  thrown,  and  how  all  evil  is  around  me,  she 
would  realize  that  I  had  need  to  keep  this  letter." 
He  folded  it  close,  and  set  it  back  carefully  within 


MII.ISCENT    BARRKTT    AND    THE    BRITISH    OFFICER. 
"  She  leaned  over  to  allow  no  movement  of  his  to  escape  her." 


ONE  LITTLE   CARTRIDGE.  ?$ 

his  pocket,  this  time  taking  the  precaution  to  en- 
close it  in  his  leathern  wallet. 

"But  you  can  keep  from  being  led  into  evil, 
though  it  may  be  around  you,"  said  Miliscent, 
her  thoughts  on  the  absent  mother,  doubtless  this 
moment  praying  for  her  boy.  "  You  surely  can 
follow  her  entreaties." 

"  Ah,  you  little  know,"  said  the  young  man  sadly, 
and  his  bright  head  drooped.  "  Well,  let  us  get 
to  this  killing  business,"  he  exclaimed  suddenly, 
by  one  of  those  quick  transitions  in  which,  from  de- 
jection, his  buoyant  spirit  rose;  "now,  it  is  like 
this."  He  seized  the  paper  and  the  scissors  from 
her  slender  fingers,  and  rapidly  twisted  the  former 
over  the  shapely  pine-stick  until  it  suited  his  fancy. 
"If  you  are  determined  to  kill  us,  let  it  be  by 
some  humane  process,  and  not  like  so  many  wild 
beasts  of  the  forest." 

Miliscent,  with  dark  eyes  dilating,  drew  near. 
He  could  not  see  her  above  his  bent  head  that,  ab- 
sorbed as  he  was  over  his  work,  he  did  not  lift. 
Her  red  lips  parted,  and  she  held  her  hand  over 
her  heart  to  still  its  beating,  as  she  leaned  over  to 
allow  no  movement  of  his  to  escape  her. 

"There,"  he  paused  for  its  inspection,  and  held 
up  the  finished  article,  like  a  boy  pleased  with 


76        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

his  work,  and  smiled  saucily  into  the  face  above 
him,  now  intrenched  in  its  accustomed  expression, 
though  with  every  iota  of  color  fled;  "that  is  the 
way  we  make  our  cartridges,"  he  cried,  waving  it 
before  her,  as  Captain  James  Barrett  drove  up  to 
the  house-place. 


THE   OLD    TOWN  GETTING  READY  FAST, 


V. 

THE   OLD   TOWN    IS   GETTING    READY   FAST. 

THE  conflict  of  arms,  that  ultimate  struggle  that 
should  once  for  all  determine  the  governing 
power  and  vouchsafe,  or  deny,  to  the  colonies  the 
rights  of  freemen,  was  not  much  longer  to  be  delayed. 
The  sky  was  already  tinged  with  that  glow  that  was 
to  proclaim  the  dawn  of  American  liberty,  and  to 
usher  into  the  world  of  nations  a  new  republic. 

Events  had  been  rapidly  marshalling  their  forces 
to  an  inevitable  conclusion.  Affairs  were  becoming 
so  complicated  by  the  continued  oppression  of  the 
Province,  without  apparent  reason  other  than  a  de- 
termined and  deliberate  desire  to  oppress  and  to 
enslave,  that  there  was  no  evading  the  question  of 
liberty  or  slavery.  The  situation  had  become  in- 
tense and  dramatic,  and  allowed  of  no  greater  delay 
in  parleyings  or  entreaties.  Either  the  colonies  must 
stand  by  their  continued  utterances  of  belief  in  the 
God,  to  worship  whom  in  .freedom  and  truth  they  had 
come  across  the  sea,  and  defend  their  rights  as  free- 


78        A   Lll^TLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

men,  or  they  must  take  the  alternative,  and  yield. 
There  was  no  middle  course  now. 

So  Old  Concord  men  thought,  and  so  had  they 
spoken,  making  themselves  many  times  in  the  past, 
as  they  well  knew,  marked  rebels  for  future  retribu- 
tion when  King  George  became  victor.  Seven  years 
before,  in  1767,  the  citizens  of  Concord  had  come  out 
boldly  for  liberty,  failing  not  to  express  their  senti- 
ments at  the  offensive  stand  of  the  British  parliament. 
Accordingly  "the  town  had  instructed  its  represen- 
tative to  oppose  the  operation  of  the  Stamp  Act, 
and  to  unite  in  all  Constitutional  measures  that 
might  be  taken  to  obtain  its  repeal."  And  two 
months  later,  in  December,  "the  selectmen  were 
chosen  a  committee  to  consider  and  report  on  these 
measures,  which  threaten  the  country  with  poverty 
and  ruin."  After  accepting  their  report,  the  town 
voted  "to  encourage  industry,  economy,  frugality, 
and  manufactures  at  home  and  abroad,  and  to  pre- 
vent purchasing  so  much  as  we  have  done  in  foreign 
commodities."  Thus  did  Old  Concord  early  fire  the 
torch  of  Liberty. 

And  she  kept  the  flame  burning  steadily  and  high 
through  all  the  five  years  thereafter;  so  that  when  in 
1772  the  address  of  the  citizens  of  Boston  on  the  2oth 
of  November,  concerning  the  state  of  distress  in  which 


THE   OLD    TOWN  GETTING   READY  FAST.     79 

the  Province  was  plunged,  came  before  the  town,  it 
awoke  a  spirited  response.  And  the  reply,  prepared 
by  the  committee  with  instructions  to  the  representa- 
tive of  the  town,  "after  being  very  coolly  and  delib- 
erately debated  upon,  was  unanimously  accepted  in 
full  town-meeting."  So  much  for  those  early  days, 
when  to  speak  and  to  act,  and  to  fire  the  hearts  of 
others  to  patriotism,  was  to  be  a  leader  indeed.  We 
shall  see  how  she  lived  up  to  her  teachings. 

"Debby,"  cried  Miliscent,  springing  into  the  little 
old  kitchen  of  the  Parlin  cottage  (her  sunbonnet  had 
fallen  from  a  face  pale  with  excitement,  but  lumi- 
nous from  her  splendid  dark  eyes), — "I  want  you 
to  come  home  with  me  at  once." 

It  was  the  time  of  sudden  summons,  the  air  of  every 
day  was  charged  with  excitement,  and  Debby  did  not 
look  surprised  nor  question  why. 

"Can  I,  mother?"  she  appealed  to  Mrs.  Parlin, 
hurrying  "from  pillar  to  post,"  as  she  always  ex- 
pressed it,  now  coming  in  from  the  woodshed. 

"Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Parlin  with  a  quick  look  at  Milis- 
cent's  intense  face.  She  threw  down  her  load  of 
kindlings  in  the  wood-box  behind  the  stove,  and 
shook  her  apron  free  of  the  chips.  ".I  know  it's  for 
something  special,"  with  another  lingering  gaze  into 
the  pale  face. 


8O        A   LITTLE  MAW   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

For  answer  the  tall  girl  went  swiftly  up  to  the 
mother's  side.  The  lovely  color  spread  over  cheek 
and  brow.  "Forgive  me  for  not  telling  you,  dear 
Mrs.  Parlin,"  she  said;  "it  is  a  secret.  If  you  will 
only  trust  me,"  she  implored. 

"I'll  trust  you,  Miliscent,  wherever  you  are,"  said 
Mrs.  Parlin  heartily.  "Debby  shall  leave  her  work 
and  go." 

"This  very  minute,"  cried  Debby,  tearing  off  her 
apron  to  hang  it  behind  the  door;  and  taking  out  a 
clean  blue-and-white  checked  one  from  the  table 
drawer,  she  hastily  tied  it  on,  feeling  now  well  dressed 
indeed.  "Mother,  don't  you  touch  to  spin  my  stent. 
I'll  do  it  all  to-morrow.  Promise  me." 

"I  won't  touch  your  wheel,"  promised  Mrs.  Parlin. 
"I  can't;  for  I'm  up  to  my  eyes  already  with  work. 
Go  along,  child;  it's  all  right." 

"May  she  stay  all  night?"  begged  Miliscent,  her 
arm  around  her  friend.  "Say  she  may,  Mrs.  Parlin, 
do." 

"  I  suppose  she  might  as  well,"  assented  Mrs.  Par- 
lin. "Yes,  yes,  go  along,  Debby.  Only  be  home 
bright  and  early  in  the  morning.  Then  you'll  have  to 
fly  to  your  spinning  in  good  earnest." 

Debby  tied  on  her  sunbonnet,  not  without  a  good 
glance  in  the  cracked  looking-glass  in  the  corner,  and 


THE   OLD    TOWN  GETTING  READY  FAST.     8 1 

throwing  on  her  shawl,  she  ran  off  with  her  friend,  with 
whose  long  steps  she  could  scarcely  keep  up. 

"  What  is  it  ? "  demanded  Debby  breathlessly,  as 
they  clambered  the  Ridge,  and  were  now  on  the  even 
plateau  back  of  the  Felton  homestead,  ready  to  strike 
into  the  cat-a-cornered  trail.  "Whatever  in  all  this 
world  do  you  want  me  for  in  such  a  queer  way  ?  Why 
don't  you  speak  up,  Miliscent  Barrett?" 

"  Hush,  hush  !  "  warned  Miliscent,  drawing  her  cloak 
tighter  around  her.  "  It  is  no  time  for  speech  till  we 
get  safely  home." 

"  I  should  think  you'd  be  safe  enough  in  this  wood," 
said  Debby  scornfully.  "Only  a  bird  or  a  squirrel  to 
hear,  and  they  won't  tell." 

"Debby,  I  don't  dare  to  tell,"  said  Miliscent  under 
her  breath.  A  red  spot  glowed  on  either  cheek.  She 
seized  Debby's  plump  arm,  and  pulled  her  along  faster. 
"This  wood  may  be  full  of  treachery.  How  do  we 
know  ?  One  Tory  Bliss  or  Tory  Lee  would  ruin  it  all. 
It  is  too  much  to  risk.  Don't  ask  it.  Wait  till  we  get 
home."  She  struck  off  now  down  the  slope;  and 
Debby,  whose  young  feet  were  used  to  climbing,  had 
all  she  could  do  to  follow  the  tall,  slender  girl,  whose 
swift  foot-falls  seemed  not  to  press  the  ground. 

At  last  Miliscent  deserted  the  trail,  and  made  a 
dtiour  through  a  meadow,  finally  reaching  a  small 


82        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  COXCORD    TOWN. 

yellow  house  well  set  back  in  its  own  farmyard. 
Here  she  paused.  "You  wait  here,  Debby,"  she 
said  abruptly;  and  running  nimbly  up  to  the  farm- 
house and  into  the  kitchen,  she  made  the  same  re- 
quest, only  this  time  it  was  for  the  two  girls  of  the 
household.  A  request  that  was  speedily  granted,  as 
were  all  those  made  by  a  granddaughter  of  Captain 
James  Barrett ;  and  Lucinda  and  Jane  came  out  pres- 
ently, and  down  the  box-bordered  path,  tying  on 
their  checked  aprons,  sure  sign  that  they  were  going 
visiting. 

This  performance  was  repeated  at  one  or  two  other 
houses.  In  some  instances  the  girls  were  to  follow 
as  speedily  as  possible  when  certain  household  tasks 
were  completed.  But  it  was  quite  a  goodly  number 
of  Miliscent's  mates  who  hurried  along  with  her  to 
her  home  on  the  old  Barrett  Mill  Road. 

"  James  has  gone  over  to  tell  Perces  Wood  to 
come,"  said  Miliscent  to  Debby,  as  the  other  girls 
naturally  fell  back  a  little  to  let  the  two  friends 
walk  together. 

"  Of  course  I  knew  you'd  send  for  her,"  said 
Debby.  "Seems  if  Perces  was  older'n  we  are  some- 
times, she's  so  big  and  steady.  Dear  me,  I'm  thank- 
ful to  goodness,  Milly,  that  we're  almost  there ; "  and 
she  gave  a  yawn  that  was  not  weariness,  but  she 


THE   OLD    TOWN  GETTING   READY  FAST.     83 

ached  in  every  bone  of  her  body  to  know  the  reason 
for  such  mysterious  actions.  "I  can't  wait  another 
minute,  seems  to  me,  to  know  what  you  can  want  of 
us."  The  two  girls  were  together  now,  walking  with 
their  arms  around  each  other  as  was  their  wont;  so 
Debby  whispered  this  against  the  slender  neck  of 
the  taller  girl. 

"Poor  dear,"  said  Miliscent  fondly,  "your  patience 
sha'n't  be  tried  much  more ; "  and  she  turned  her  glow- 
ing eyes  affectionately  on  her  friend.  "  How  good 
you  are  !  Now,  I  couldn't  have  done  anything  with 
those  other  girls,"  with  a  toss  of  the  head  toward 
their  mates  in  the  rear,  "  if  you'd  have  teased  me 
to  tell.  Just  see  how  amiable  and  nice  they  come 
along." 

"  It  wouldn't  have  done  any  good  if  I  had  have 
teased,"  remarked  Debby  calmly ;  "  that  I  well  knew, 
when  you  looked  like  that,  Milly.  Well,  I'm  thankful 
to  gracious  that  we're  most  there,  and  the  secret 
can  be  told." 

"  I  can't  bear  not  to  tell  much  longer,"  cried  Milis- 
cent suddenly.  "  Let's  start  and  run.  Come,  girls  !  " 
she  called  back  to  them  in  her  high,  clear  voice. 

A  wild  chase  now  ensued  down  the  road,  past 
Captain  James  Barrett's  homestead  to  Miliscent's  home 
beyond.  Into  the  house  that  seemed  pervaded  by 


84         A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

an  intense  though  quiet  excitement,  the  girls  flew 
led  by  Miliscent  and  Debby.  Mrs.  Barrett,  calm  and 
pale,  met  them. 

"You're  to  go  into  the  keeping-room,"  she  said. 
"  Then  you  better  button  the  door  to  keep  the  chil- 
dren out.  When  my  back's  turned,  I  can't  answer 
for  them.  Button  the  door  after  you,  Milly." 

"No  fear  but  I  will,  mother,"  said  Milly.  "Come, 
girls." 

No  need  to  tell  them.  Every  one  scuttled  in  like 
rabbits,  and  turned  to  face  her,  with  wide  expectant 
eyes.  She  slipped  the  wooden  button  into  place,  then 
set  her  back  against  the  door,  and  surveyed  them  all. 
"Girls,"  her  voice  throbbed  with  excitement,  yet  it 
was  low  and  deep,  "  I've  something  to  tell  you  that 
will  make  you  very  glad.  But  first  you  must  each  one 
promise  solemnly  you  will  never,  never,  never,  in  all 
this  world,  tell  the  secret  until  I  give  you  permission 
to.  Promise,  now,  each  one  in  line,  beginning  with 
Lucinda." 

"I  never'll  tell  in  all  this  world,"  proclaimed 
Lucinda,  on  a  high  key;  "black  and  blue,  hope 
to  "  — 

"Hush!  "  warned  Milly;  "what  we  say  in  this  room 
must  be  spoken  low.  Traitors  may  be  lurking  beneath 
the  windows,"  she  glanced  again  at  them —  '•  a  loud 


THE   OLD    TOWN  GETTING  READY  FAST.     8^ 

voice  may  warn  them  of  our  purpose.  Begin  again, 
Lucinda." 

"  I'll  never  tell  in  all  this  world,"  said  Lucinda,  in 
a  gruff,  heavy  voice,  as  effective  in  its  way  as  the 
high  key;  "black  and  blue,  hope  to  die  if  I  do,  so 
there !  " 

"Now,  Susan,"  said  Miliscent  nervously,  to  a  thin 
little  maiden  standing  next,  clasping  and  unclasping 
her  fingers  in  excitement,  "  do  see  if  you  can  speak 
low,  and  not  make  such  a  noise  as  Lucinda.  Will  you 
promise? " 

Susan  whispered  out  her  promise  in  terms  as  deadly 
as  her  neighbor's.  And  Milly  passed  down  the  line 
till  she  reached  Debby,  who  stood  last. 

"  I  promise,"  said  that  damsel  loftily,  with  her  head 
well  in  the  air.  "  I  sha'n't  say  any  of  our  play  words; 
this  is  a  different  matter.  But  I  won't  break  my 
promise." 

"I  know  you  won't,  Debby,"  said  Milly  affection- 
ately, "for  you  never  did  yet.  Well,  now,  girls," 
and  she  drew  a  long  breath,  "  you  shall  know  the 
secret. " 

She  picked  up  a  pair  of  scissors  that  lay  near 
at  hand  on  a  table,  and  whirled  them  before  their 
eyes. 

"  See,  see,"  she  cried,  under  her  breath,  "these  will 


t>6        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCOKD    TOWN. 

help  to  cut  our  way  to  liberty!  O  girls!  we  have 
longed  to  be  of  use  to  our  poor  country  struggling  to 
get  free  from  the  tyrant  King  George.  Now  we  can. 
I  know  how  to  make  cartridges  /"  she  added  in  a  whis- 
per. 

A  silence  like  death  fell  upon  the  room.  The  girls 
stared  at  her  brandishing  the  scissors,  and  then  at  one 
another.  Suddenly  the  line  was  broken;  and  Debby 
rushed  out  and  threw  her  arms  around  Miliscent. 
"  O  Milly,  Milly,  Milly!"  she  cried  brokenly,  having 
no  further  words  at  her  command. 

"And  if  we  can't  go  and  fight  in  their  battles,  we 
can  equip  our  brothers  and  fathers,"  went  on  Milis- 
cent, her  pale  face  shining.  "  Oh !  the  battles  are 
surely  coming.  Girls,  girls,  we've  so  longed  to  help. 
And  now  we  can!  Quick,  draw  up  your  chairs.  I'll 
sit  in  the  centre,  and  let  us  get  to  work ;  I'll  tell  you 
how  —  I'll  tell  you  how." 

She  uttered  all  these  commands  in  a  short,  quick 
voice,  tense  with  feeling.  And  presently  the  ring  of 
chairs  was  formed ;  and  her  mates,  their  cheeks  still 
rosy  from  their  speedy  run,  and  glowing  with  the 
emotion  that  found  an  answering  gleam  in  their 
bright,  clear  eyes,  were  ready  for  the  work  that  she 
soon  put  within  their  hands,  as  Miliscent  seized  the 
pine  stick  for  the  initiatory  cartridge,  and  shaped 


THE   OLD    TOWN  GETTING  READY  FAST.     8/ 

the  paper  over  it,  cutting  it  with  her  scissors  into 
the  requisite  pattern. 

They  held   their  breath,  and  watched  her  silently. 

"  Oh,  oh !  "  exclaimed  Debby,  wild  with  excite- 
ment, and  beating  her  hands  together,  "  we  may  not 
be  allowed  to  fight,  but  we  can  make  the  cartridges." 

Miliscent  dropped  her  scissors  to  clap  her  hand  over 
Debby's  mouth.  "  Don't  speak  the  word  again.  You 
may  ruin  all.  I  have  told  you  once.  Now,  don't  one 
of  you  breathe  it."  Her  eyes  blazed,  and  she  stood 
tall  and  stern  above  the  ring  of  chairs. 

Then  the  latch  of  the  door  was  rattled,  and  a  voice 
called  softly,  "  Milly." 

"  It's  the  children  !  "  exclaimed  Lucinda,  in  alarm. 

"Open  the  door,  Milly,"  said  her  brother  James, 
with  his  face  close  to  the  crack.  "  It's  Perces  and 
I."  Whereat  the  wooden  button  was  slipped  back, 
and  there  was  great  rejoicing  as  Perces  and  James 
were  drawn  in. 

It  was  now  but  the  work  of  a  few  moments  to  get 
them  all  busily  occupied ;  and  while  the  fingers  flew, 
Miliscent  divulged  the  whole  of  the  secret  whereby 
she  and  her  mates  were  to  help  the  brave  men  who 
were  to  fight  for  liberty. 

"  See,  see,  I  have  the  pattern,"  she  cried  exult- 
ingly,  and  holding  it  high.  "  He  cut  it  with  these 


88        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

very  scissors,''  and  again  she  waved  them.  "  Oh, 
thank  the  Lord  for  such  an  enemy  as  he ! "  and  she 
fell  to  busily  on  the  paper,  while  the  circle  of  bright 
heads  drew  close  about  her  fingers  to  see  how  it 
was  done. 

"Milly  wheedled  him  into  telling,"  said  James, 
whittling  more  pine  sticks  into  the  required  shape  of 
the  one  formed  by  the  young  British  officer.  "  I  saw 
the  whole  thing  from  the  barn-chamber  window." 

"Tell  us,  James,  do;  that's  a  good  boy,"  begged 
the  chorus  of  girls.  James  needed  no  urging. 

"Foolish  boy,"  said  Milly,  with  heightened  color. 
"Don't  listen  to  him,  but  put  your  minds  on  the  needs 
of  your  country." 

"Foolish  boy!  "  snorted  James.  "That's  what  she 
always  says  when  I  tell  about  the  fellows  and  her. 
And  here  I  have  been  ever  since,  whittling  the 
pine  sticks.  Now  I  will  tell,  anyway,  Milly.''  And 
he  set  the  story  forth  to  its  last  syllable;  Debby, 
all  her  soul  in  her  fingers,  turning,  out  of  loyalty 
to  her  friend,  a  cold  shoulder  toward  him  as  she 
worked. 

While  this  meeting  was  in  progress,  another  was  in 
session  around  the  Common.  It  could  not  be  said  to 
be  disorderly,  yet  there  was  that  temper  pervading  it 
that  boded  ill  for  any' interference.  Almost  to  a  man, 


THE  CLD    TOWN  GETTING  READY  FAST.     89 

ihere  was  an  expression  in  face  and  attitude  and  ges- 
ture that  bespoke  intense  determination  of  that  cooler 
kind  that  results  from  a  slow  and  cautious  decision. 
It  might  be  that  among  this  company,  scattered  here 
and  there,  or  massed  in  solid  groups,  or  hurrying  to 
the  scene  with  long  and  determined  strides,  was  to 
be  seen  occasionally  the  violent  fellow  whose  quickly 
fired  blood  was  not  mixed  with  its  requisite,  essential- 
to-success  power  to  control  himself.  He  would  bawl 
to  every  chance  comer,  as  he  ran  quickly  on,  gesticu- 
lating wildly  as  he  ran,  "Down  with  King  George's 
troops !  Damnation  to  the  Reg'lars  ! " 

But  he  was  quickly,  and  as  effectually  as  the  circum- 
stances would  permit,  where  the  spirit  of  freedom  was 
gro'wing  rampant,  quenched  by  the  sober  and  sturdy 
fathers  of  the  town ;  and  while  some  of  these  hoi- 
headed  fellows  were  walked  off  to  cool  their  blood, 
others  were  well  watched,  lest  their  excited  utterances 
should  break  forth  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  temper 
and  mind  with  which  the  old  town  meant  eventually 
to  win. 

There  was  the  inevitable  small,  boy,  of  course,  as 
omnipresent  then  as  now,  dodging  here  and  there, 
and  massing  into  groups  wherever  the  crowd  was 
the  thickest;  crowing  and  chuckling  with  delight  at 
the  noisier  demonstrations  of  the  turbulent  element, 


90        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN, 

and  saddening  when  the  excitement  was  in  any  waj 
checked  or  diminished.  But  there  was  a  way  our 
fathers  in  1774  had  of  making  the  small  boy  "mind 
his  p's  and  q's"  that  is  conspicuously  absent  to-day. 
Truth  to  tell,  there  was  less  of  him  in  the  earlier 
day,  but  that  should  be  no  detraction  to  the  skill  of 
knowing  how  to  manage  him.  So,  beyond  their  ex- 
cessive exuberance  over  the  situation,  which  after  all 
was  a  secret  stimulus  to  the  fathers  and  older  broth- 
ers, the  small  boy  of  Concord  Town  might  be  said, 
on  that  day,  to  present  no  bad  feature  of  the  citizens' 
meeting  on  the  Common. 

The  women  and  girls,  removed  to  a  proper  distance, 
as  was  the  correct  feminine  attitude  of  that  day, 
watched  and  waited,  and  hung  about  with  bated 
breath  for  any  chance  news  that  might  befall  as  to  the 
progress  of  the  meeting  of  the  citizens  thus  congre- 
gated. But  amidst  all  the  babel  and  excitement,  the 
women  caught  little  but  scraps  of  isolated  talk,  as 
the  groups  waited  with  only  a  show  of  patience  for 
the  messenger  despatched  in  the  early  morning  to 
Boston  for  the  latest  news,  who  should  have  returned 
by  this  time.  And  as  the  moments  passed,  and  he 
came  not,  the  delay  seemed  to  verify  all  those  fears 
raised  by  news  of  the  recent  "  acts  for  the  better  reg- 
ulation of  the  government  of  Massachusetts  Bay" 


THE   OLD    TOWN  GETTING  KEADY  FAST.     91 

that  had  so  roused  them  to  indignation  but  a  short 
time  before. 

At  last,  when  it  appeared  impossible  to  endure  the 
suspense  much  longer,  the  small  boy  so  largely  in 
evidence  espied,  what  was  not  discernible  to  the  other 
eyes,  a  horseman  wending  his  way  down  the  old  Bay 
Road.  He  announced  this  fact  by  a  shout  that  was 
taken  up  by  the  rest  of  the  boy  throats  with  a  hearti- 
ness that  communicated  itself  to  the  waiting  men  ; 
and  presently,  after  what  seemed  a  small  eternity  to 
the  impatient  congregation,  although  the  rider  was 
spurring  on  his  horse  faithfully,  the  animal,  dripping 
with  perspiration,  stood  before  them. 

"What  news?  What  news?  "  cried  a  dozen  throats, 
while  the  men  massed  around  him,  pale  with  excite- 
ment and  dread. 

The  rider,  a  young  man  of  undaunted  face  and 
mien,  drew  a  long  breath  and  hesitated,  as  if  unwill- 
ing or  unable  to  speak. 

"Give  it  to  us  to  the  last  syllable,"  thundered  Mr. 
Wood,  forcing  his  way  through  the  crowd,  and  laying 
his  large  hand  on  the  bridle.  The  young  horseman 
glanced  into  his  face,  and  blurted  out,  "  The  Act 
dooms  us  all.  The  council  is  to  be  appointed  by 
King  George.  All  other  civil  offices,  not  filled  by  him 
or  his  tools,  to  be  done  away  with." 


92        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

Mr.  Wood  started  back  with  a  deep  groan  as  his 
hand  fell  from  the  bridle.  All  his  determination  to 
bear  ill  news  was  unequal  to  the  blow. 

"  For  God's  sake,  fellow-citizens,"  cried  another 
with  white  face,  and  sweeping  the  circle  with  his 
flashing  eye,  "  are  we  to  be  ground,  lower  than  slaves, 
to  the  dust?  Can  we  submit  tamely  to  this  last  act 
of  despotism  that  would  reduce  us  to  a  slavery  than 
which  there  could  be  no  meaner  on  earth  ? " 

"  No !  no ! "  came  from  a  hundred  passionate 
throats.  "We  will  never  give  up  our  rights  as  free- 
born  Americans." 

"  Our  natural  and  charter  rights  have  been  invaded 
over  and  over,"  continued  the  speaker  in  a  terrible 
tone;  "the  hand  of  despotism  has  been  over  the 
colonists  with  a  constantly  tightening  grasp;  the 
harbor  of  Boston  has  been  blocked  up;  bodies  of 
soldiery  have  desecrated  the  Province  under  one  pre- 
tence or  another,  but  with  one  end  constantly  in 
view,  — our  complete  subjugation.  And  now  these 
two  last  Acts  just  passed  by  Parliament  are  intended 
to,  and  will  if  submitted  to,  reduce  us  to  that  con- 
dition that  no  power  on  earth  could  rescue  us  from. 
Are  we  men  to  take  all  this  and  not  resist?  No. 
To  arms!  To  arms/" 

He  flung  his  hands  to  heaven,  and  raised  his  face, 


THE   OLD    TOWN  GETTING  READY  FAST.     93 

gaunt  and  terrible  to  look  at.  The  men  crowded 
around  him  wild  with  passion,  but  stilled  for  a  mo- 
ment at  the  sight  of  his  face,  depicting  so  strongly 
what  each  one  felt  was  in  his  own  breast.  At  last 
the  silence  was  broken,  and  one  cry  broke  forth, 
"Yes!  yes!  To  arms!  to  arms!  Away  with  the 
tyranny  of  King  George  I  We  are  free  men  !  ' ' 


94        A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 


VI. 

A   CRISIS. 

IT  was  a  terrible  moment.  The  whole  earth  seemed 
to  open  to  Mr.  Wood,  and  for  an  instant  every- 
thing turned  black  around  him.  He  strove  to  speak, 
but  no  words  came ;  and  he  looked  helplessly  around 
for  that  assistance  that  might  turn  the  tide  in  this 
evil  crisis  of  reckless  undoing  of  months  and  years 
of  wise  and  patient  patriotic  work.  Was  Concord 
to  ingulf  herself  and  others  in  a  wild  and  premature 
passion  that  would  only  hurl  the  thunderbolts  of  war 
upon  unprepared  and  defenceless  heads,  and  make 
herself  an  object  of  pity  and  contumely  for  all  his- 
tory to  deplore  ? 

There  were  many  citizens  of  like  mind  scattered 
here  and  there  in  the  turbulent  crowd ;  but  they  were 
swallowed  up  by  the  struggling,  yelling  mass,  and  their 
voices  drowned  in  the  general  tumult.  There  was  not 
an  instant  to  lose. 

"Gallop  for  your  life!"  gasped  Mr.  Wood  into  the 
ear  of  the  young  horseman,  "  and  bring  Parson  Emer- 


A    CRISIS.  95 

son."  And  seizing  by  the  flying  jacket  one  of  the 
small  boys,  he  bade  him  in  a  hoarse  voice  to  run  and 
ring  the  meeting-house  bell.  Which  the  youngster, 
wild  for  action  of  some  sort,  did  as  if  by  magic. 

"  One  —  boom  —  two  —  boom  —  boom ! "  out  rang 
the  bell,  clear  and  true.  The  crowd,  thinking  it  the 
signal  for  a  massing  together,  perhaps  for  military 
instructions,  and  in  their  excitement  eagerly  welcom- 
ing any  call,  stopped  shouting  and  yelling  instantly, 
and  hurried  off  in  irregular  groups  to  the  meeting- 
house, just  as  the  young  parson,  breathless  from  the 
canter  that  landed  him  at  the  church-door,  entered, 
and  commanded  them  to  sit  down. 

It  was  impossible  to  evade  him.  Parsons  were 
obeyed  in  those  days.  Far  ahead  in  authority  of 
lawyer  or  captain  or  schoolmaster,  was  the  divine, 
who  seemed  to  stand  so  near  to  God  that  a  wholesome 
fear  possessed  all  souls  of  breaking  any  commands 
he  might  make.  So  the  men  silently  settled  into  the 
corners  of  the  big  square  pews  —  some  of  them  as 
far  off  from  the  pulpit  as  they  dared;  while  the  young 
parson  rapidly  mounted  the  pulpit  steps,  and  took  a 
survey  of  the  situation. 

"Men  of  Concord,"  he  began  in  a  high,  clear  voice, 
and  looking  into  their  wild,  excited  faces  with  cool 
eyes,  "listen  to  the  word  of  God  from  this  sacred 


96        A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

desk.  What  means  this  turbulent  crowd  ?  Think  ye 
that  into  hands  that  tremble  with  passion,  and  are 
lost  to  reason  and  judgment,  would  be  committed 
the  power  to  plunge  this  town,  this  good  old  town, 
and  the  Province,  into  the  red  gulf  of  war  before  the 
time  is  ripe!  God  knows  the  war  is  coming,  and  no 
man  among  you  will  welcome  it  more  gladly  than  I." 
He  flung  back  his  head,  and  brought  his  hand  down 
on  the  big  Bible  with  a  resonant  clap.  "  For  we  are 
not  slaves !  We  are  free  as  the  air  above  and  around 
us,  and  so  will  we  die.  Ay,  every  soul  of  us  will  die 
with  our  faces  to  the  enemy  before  we  will  give  up 
our  rights  as  men." 

They  were  cooling  off  now;  and,  hearing  such  war- 
like words  fitting  into  their  boiling  indignation,  they 
began  to  listen  eagerly.  And  for  a  good  half-hour 
the  reverend  gentleman  gave  them  wholesome  advice, 
squarely,  without  mincing  or  dilution,  as  to  the  pro- 
priety as  well  as  wisdom  of  following  the  leadership 
of  the  citizens  of  the  town  who  were  empowered  by 
their  fitness  and  the  suffrages  of  the  townspeople  to 
take  the  lead  in  all  matters,  and  certainly  in  such  a 
momentous  one  as  this  before  them.  "Be  ready  for 
war,  and  to  quit  you  like  men  when  you  are  ordered  to 
war,"  he  thundered,  with  another  resonant  clap  on  the 
big  Bible;  "and  think  not  for  an  instant  that  to  em- 


A  CRISIS.  97 

broil  yourselves  and  us  in  a  wild  and  unprepared  on- 
slaught on  our  enemies  is  war.  Verily  there  is  great 
and  pressing  need  that  wisdom  for  each  man  shall  be 
added  to  his  courage,  that  so  our  glorious  old  town 
may  gain  her  well  deserved  honors  of  war,  whenever 
she  shall  be  called  to  action."  There  was  a  movement 
to  depart,  the  passion  in  the  faces  of  the  men  giving 
place  to  quiet  and  steady  resolve,  more  deadly  to  the 
future  peace  of  the  enemy,  and  biding  its  time  to  strike. 
But  the  parson  had  not  done  with  them  yet;  for, 
opening  the  big  Bible,  he  read  in  a  clear  and 
sonorous  voice  that  woke  the  echoes  in  the  old 
meeting-house,  a  chapter  from  the  Old  Testament, 
supplementing  it  with  another  from  the  New  —  well 
chosen  for  the  time  and  the  occasion.  And  then, 
shutting  the  leaves,  he  led  them  in  a  lengthier  prayer, 
with  eloquent  and  impassioned  fervor.  After  that 
came  the  by  no  means  short  extemporaneous  sermon. 
When  at  last,  about  two  hours  later,  they  filed  out 
of  the  square  meeting-house,  they  might  be  said  to  be 
thoroughly  subdued.  What  could  not  be  accom- 
plished otherwise  to  stay  their  brute  force,  the  par- 
son, by  his  liberal  quotations  from  Holy  Writ,  not 
to  speak  of  his  seventhlies  and  eighthlies  that  ever 
commanded  immense  respect,  had  done,  and  done 
well.  And  they  filed  out,  and  dispersed  quietly. 


98        A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWM. 

"The  fight's  begun!  The  fight's  begun!"  a  voice 
yelled  out  beneath  the  window,  —  the  window  behind 
which  Miliscent  and  her  mates  were  working,  —  as  a 
man  ran  down  the  old  Mill  Road.  "  Where's  Cap'en 
Barrett?" 

Miliscent  threw  down  her  scissors  to  the  floor,  and 
sprang  to  her  feet,  her  face  white  as  death.  James 
jumped  up  with  a  whoop,  and  dashed  out  the  door,  his 
pine  stick  in  his  hand. 

"Oh,  don't  stop  working!  "  cried  Debby  in  an  awful 
voice,  so  full  of  tears  that  there  was  no  time  to  shed. 
"  If  the  war  has  begun,  we  must  get  these  done," 
pointing  to  the  little  pile  on  the  table.  "Oh!  why 
didn't  God  tell  us  how  in  time  to  make  enough  "  — 

"  Listen  !  one  of  us  must  go  and  carry  these  over 
to  grandfather's,  and  if  he  has  gone,  must  take  them 
to  him  wherever  they  are  fighting,"  said  Miliscent. 
"  Now  that  James  has  gone  —  poor  boy  !  —  he  will  feel 
badly  enough  he  forgot  them. " 

"I'll  go,"  said  Debby  eagerly,  jumping  up  with 
panting  bosom.  "  I  can  run  the  fastest ;  give  them  to 
me."  She  spread  her  blue-checked  apron,  and  the 
girls  brushed  the  cartridges  within  it  with  hasty  hands  ; 
and  with  Miliscent's  last  injunction,  "Give  them  to 
nobody  but  grandfather,"  ringing  in  her  ears,  she  sped 
off,  first  to  Captain  James's  house,  and  failing  to  find 


A   CRISIS.  99 

him,  and  no  news  save  that  he  was  down  to  the  Mill- 
dam,  she  fled  along  the  Barrett  Mill  Road  to  the 
town's  centre,  her  heart  on  fire  with  rapture  that  she 
was  really  going  to  the  battle  and  with  aid  to  the  men. 

She  was  speeding  along  with  head  bent  down  over 
her  apron  bunched  out  with  the  precious  result  of  the 
girls'  work,  when  suddenly  she  came  full  upon  a  per- 
son running  in  the  opposite  direction.  He  put  out 
his  hand  to  save  her  from  the  collision.  "  Why, 
Debby  !  "  he  cried  in  surprise,  as  he  saw  her. 

"  O  Abner !  "  cried  Debby  breathlessly,  her  hair 
blown  about  her  face,  "  where  —  where  is  the  fight  ?  " 

"There  isn't  any  fight,"  said  Abner,  setting  his  teeth 
hard.  "There  was  danger  of  the  men's  losing  their 
heads,  and  getting  their  muskets  to  rush  off  to  Cam- 
bridge or  Boston;  but  Parson  Emerson  has  quieted 
'em  down  now.  Still,  there'll  always  be  the  fear  of 
it,  as  long  as  we  hear  this  wicked  news."  And  he 
told  Debby  what  word  the  messenger  had  brought  of 
fresh  evil  piled  upon  the  Province. 

Every  vestige  of  color  fled  from  her  cheek,  and  she 
clinched  her  little  brown  hand. 

"  O  Abner !  I  want  to  tell  you ;  but  I've  promised, 
and  I  must  keep  my  word." 

"Is  it  anything  I  can  help  you  about?"  asked 
Abner  eagerly,  forgetting  for  one  instant  war  and  his 


100      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

country's  sufferings.  "Do  let  me,"  he  begged  in  his 
big,  awkward  way. 

"  Oh,  no,  no,  no ! "  said  Debby,  unable  to  stop  her- 
self. She  leaned  for  an  instant  on  the  railing.  They 
were  pausing  by  the  Spencer  brook,  on  whose  edge 
stood  the  Barrett  saw  and  grist  mill.  "  No,  no ;  do 
not  ask  me,  only  tell  me  where  I  can  find  Captain 
James.  Oh,  do  tell  me,  Abner,  I  must  see  him  at 
once ! " 

"  He  is  down  in  the  Centre  at  the  Common.  I've 
a  message  from  him  to  take  to  his  home,  Debby ; " 
and  not  allowing  himself  to  look  again  at  her,  he 
strode  off  to  set  into  a  run. 

Debby  took  two  or  three  steps,  then  stopped  im- 
pulsively to  look  after  his  retreating  figure.  As  she 
did  so  some  one  jumped  noiselessly  up  the  little  in- 
cline by  the  bank  beneath  the  bridge,  and  coming 
up  behind  her,  seized  her  arm. 

"O  Jim,  how  you  scared  me!"  exclaimed  Debby, 
with  a  jump,  and  holding  to  her  apronful  of  cartridges. 

"  What  were  you  saying  to  Abner  Butterfield  ? "  de- 
manded Jim,  looking  down  the  road  where  Abner's 
tall  figure  was  fast  disappearing.  "  Hush,  don't  you 
call  him  here,  or  I'll  kill  him !  I've  sworn  to  be  even 
with  him  yet.  What  were  you  saying  to  him?" 

"  I  sha'n't  call  Abner  Butterfield  or  any  one  else 


DEBBY   AND   JIM   RASKINS. 
"'O  Jim,  how  you  scared  me!'  exclaimed  Debby." 


A    CRISIS.  101 

to  help  me,"  said  Debby  in  white  scorn.  "I  guess 
I  can  take  care  of  myself,  Jim  Haskins.  Now  go  your 
way,  and  I'll  go  mine."  But  he  gripped  her  arm. 

"Not  so  fast,  Miss  Debby  Parlin;  I've  got  done 
with  all  your  playing  with  me." 

"  I've  never  been  playing  with  you,"  denied  Debby, 
in  greater  scorn  than  ever.  Yet  she  saw  in  dismay 
that  Jim  had  been  drinking,  and  she  cast  about  in  her 
quick  little  mind  how  best  to  get  rid  of  him  quietly. 

"Jim,"  she  said,  "aren't  you  ashamed,  when  our 
country  is  in  such  need,  to  be  acting  so?  Don't  stop 
to  talk  to  me,  but  go  your  way  and  be  about  your 
business,  whatever  it  is." 

Jim  laughed,  a  joyless,  harsh  note,  in  her  face. 
"Didn't  I  see  you  talking  with  Ab  Butterfield  a  min- 
ute ago  ?  Time  wasn't  so  precious  but  that  you  both 
had  a  plenty.  I  don't  care  for  the  country."  He  swore 
a  great  oath  that  turned  the  girl's  cheeks  whiter  yet, 
and  made  her  eyes  dilate.  But  she  answered  spirit- 
edly, "Then  you've  a  small,  contemptible  soul,  and 
not  worth  my  talking  to  you  here  or  any  other  place." 
And  she  tried  once  more  to  pass  him. 

For  answer  he  seized  her  other  arm,  and  shook  it 
smartly.  The  apron-end  loosened  where  it  was 
doubled  up,  and  down  rattled  several  cartridges  upon 
the  ground. 


102      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Cartridges!"  swore  Jim,  looking  at  them  with 
drunken  eyes.  Then  he  picked  them  up  and  exam- 
ined them,  meanwhile  twitching  roughly  at  the  blue 
checked  apron  to  secure  the  rest.  But  Debby  held  it 
with  tight  little  fingers.  "I'll  scream,  Jim,  and  have 
the  town  around  your  ears.  Give  me  back  my  prop- 
erty this  instant." 

But  he  laughed  again,  and  plunged  into  the  thicket, 
carrying  the  few  cartridges  with  him,  and  snapping  his 
fingers  at  the  girl  as  he  disappeared  in  the  bushes. 

Debby  rushed  along  in  dismay.  How  unfortunate 
that  Jim,  of  all  people,  should  see  the  cartridges  ! 
Folks  said  that  he  had  lately  been  acting  queerly  — 
certain  it  was  that  he  had  taken  harder  to  drink,  and 
that  he  had  been  heard  to  utter  Tory  sentiments  on 
more  than  one  occasion,  despite  his  outwardly  violent 
denunciations  of  Tory  Lee  and  Tory  Bliss.  She  re- 
doubled her  speed,  and  met  Captain  James  just  as  the 
men  were  released  from  the  old  meeting-house,  and 
were  straggling  off  to  their  homes. 

"Well,  my  little  maid,"  he  said  sadly,  taking  the 
small  heap  of  cartridges  from  her  apron,  while  some- 
thing glistened  in  his  eyes,  "we  shall  need  them  and 
as  many  more  as  can  be  made,  God  knows,  before 
long.  But  not  to-day.  Run  home,  child,  and  get  to 
work  again  with  Miliscent." 


A    CRISIS.  IO3 

There  was  no  time  to  tell  him  of  Jim's  discovery  and 
possession  of  the  cartridges,  for  Captain-  James  was 
now  immediately  besieged  on  all  sides.  And  thread- 
ing her  way  out  of  the  crowd,  she  ran  backwards  to- 
ward the  Barrett  Mill  Road.  But  she  did  not  reach 
her  destination. 

Jim,  after  leaving  Debby,  grasped  the  cartridges 
tightly  in  his  big  sledge-hammer  fist,  and  swore  sev- 
eral great  round  oaths  to  himself,  in  the  bushes 
that  skirted  the  river,  that  he  would  be  even  with 
the  girl,  Debby  Parlin,  who  had  so  bewitched  his 
heart,  and  pay  off  at  one  and  the  same  time  the 
deadly  grudge,  that  still  haunted  him,  against  his 
rival. 

" My  country  —  well,  that  t's  a  good  one!"  laughed 
Jim,  snapping  his  fingers  again,  ''my  country!  What's 
she  ever  done  for  me,  except  to  get  us  in  this  fix.  I 
vum!  I'm  for  King  George  every  time  now,  since 
the  turn  affairs  have  lately  taken.  What's  th'  use  o' 
kickin'  against  the  pricks?  King  George  has  got  the 
best  of  it.  An'  now  that  officers  are  to  be  set  over  us, 
an'  we  not  to  be  allowed  to  say  boo  to  anythin',  why, 
it's  easy  to  see  th'  end.  I'm  goin'  to  get  what  I 
can  out  o'  it,  an'  be  on  the  right  side  o'  the  fence. 
Who  knows  but  His  Majesty'll  give  me  a  commission. 
Anyway,  my  pretty  Debby,  here's  a  precious  lot  o' 


104      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

information  against  you;  an'  that  slab-sided  old 
scoundrel,  Ab  Butterfield,  a-makin'  ammernition,  an' 
preparin'  secretly  for  war.  The  sooner  I  git  news  to 
Cambridge,  an'  spoil  all  your  game,  the  better  fer 
me,  an'  the  worse  for  you  and  your  busted  cause,  — 
the  rotten  old  rebellion  agin  the  king." 

He  scratched  his  head  in  a  drunken  sort  of  way, 
undecidedly,  then  turned  and  struck  out  in  a  bee-line 
down  the  river-edge,  completely  concealed  from  all 
eyes,  so  he  thought. 

Debby  ran  on  with  light  feet,  retracing  her  steps, 
but  with  a  sad  heart.  All  the  excitement  and  glow 
attendant  upon  the  expectant  fight  had  vanished,  leav- 
ing a  dull  little  ache  and  fear  of,  she  knew  not  what. 
The  dread  of  what  Jim  might  do  with  the  secret  so 
cruelly  wrested  from  her  was  uppermost  in  her  mind, 
although  the  horror  of  suspense  in  the  face  of  this  last 
tyrannical  act  of  oppression  weighed  down  her  young 
soul  in  bitterness  to  the  earth. 

"All  that  is  left  to  us,"  said  Debby  in  the  gloomy 
depths  of  her  own  soliloquies,  "  is  to  work  as  hard  as 
we  can,  and  make  all  the  cartridges  possible.  It  may 
be  that  we  women  and  girls  will  finally  fight,  and  use 
them  up.  Who  can  tell?  At  least  we'll  make  them, 
and  enough  to  last." 

Suddenly,  with  an  unconscious  influence,  that  was 


105 

not  altogether  dread  of  meeting  Jim  upon  the  road, 
she  turned  and  ran  off  down  the  river,  to  follow  its 
bank,  and  come  out  beyond  at  a  point  somewhat  near 
the  turn  to  the  Barrett  Mill  Road.  She  ran  as  she 
had  before,  with  head  down,  wholly  engrossed  in  her 
own  melancholy  thoughts,  now  stopping  to  pick  her 
way  more  carefully  along  the  river-bank,  and  again 
occasionally  to  refresh  herself  with  a  sight  of  the 
pure,  gently  flowing  stream  that  seemed  to  breathe 
peace  to  her  soul. 

It  was  at  one  of  these  pauses  that  she  heard 
voices ;  and  with  that  involuntary  caution  that  times 
of  trouble  and  danger  had  taught  our  impulsive 
little  maiden,  she  stopped  instantly,  and  brought  her 
lithe  body  up  to  a  listening  attitude.  It  was  Jim's 
voice  that  was  speaking. 

"  I  tell  you,  Squire,  it's  a  good  chance  to  show  our 
allegiance  to  our  king." 

The  reply  was  slow  and  cautious,  and  too  low 
for  Debby  to  catch  a  syllable,  although  she  strained 
every  nerve  to  do  so.  From  the  position  where  she 
stood,  she  could  not  see  the  face  of  either  speaker. 
Only  she  could  have  sworn  to  Jim's  voice,  and  she 
could  see  his  big  leather  boots  as  he  carelessly 
leaned  on  one  foot.  And  there  was  his  right  hand 
on  a  tree-trunk,  as  if  supporting  himself  in  a  half- 


106      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWA: 

intoxicated  condition,  —  his  right  hand  with  the  big 
ring  —  the  girls  had  always  teased  him  about  it  when 
Jim  had  been  a  better  companion,  and  not  so  given 
to  drink,  saying  that  it  was  brass,  partly  to  awaken 
his  ire,  as  he  had  as  bright  a  temper  as  the  color  of 
his  locks.  The  figure  of  the  other  man  now  and 
then  came  partially  into  view  as  he  moved  restlessly 
about.  It  was  that  of  an  older  man,  and  he  was 
not  Tory  Lee.  At  last  she  ventured  to  move  a  few 
steps  nearer,  still  keeping  well  within  the  shadow 
of  the  thicket. 

"  I  tell  you,  Squire,  I'm  fer  goin'  to  once  down  to 
Cambridge,"  said  Jim,  in  a  dogged,  guttural  tone, 
"an'  givin'  them  warnin'  that  our  town  is  a-prepar- 
ing  to  spring  war  on  'em.  It'll  be  a  rich  thing  for 
them  who  want  to  stand  well  in  the  king's  good 
books  to  be  up  an'  a-coming  now." 

"  Stay,  my  good  fellow,"  said  the  older  man,  in  a 
tone  of  remonstrance;  "you  say  well  that  the  time 
is  opportune,  but  it  is  best  to  observe  caution.  A 
little  lack  of  it  would  be  disastrous  indeed." 

"What  do  you  want  to  have  done?"  asked  Jim 
still  more  doggedly.  When  he  met  this  man  unex- 
pectedly, he  considered  himself  a  lucky  fellow  in- 
deed, as  who  better  could  help  him  to  understand 
the  safest  and  best  way  to  dispose  of  his  secret. 


A    CRISIS.  IO/ 

But  now  he  did  not  attempt  to  disguise  his  lack  of 
appreciation  in  the  other's  slowness  of  action.  "Air 
you  goin'  to  let  th'  fellows  arm  themselves,  an'  git  all 
ready,  as  you  saw  on  th'  Common  for  yourself  they 
mean  to  do,  before  you  give  warnin'?  How  much 
would  that  story  bring  then?  "  He  laughed  sar- 
castically, and  shuffled  his  big  boots.  "Hey,  Squire 
Bliss?" 

It  was  Tory  Bliss!  Debby  clasped  her  hands  un- 
til the  nails  pressed  into  the  flesh.  Oh  !  was  God 
to  let  her  brave  countrymen  be  hounded  to  death 
by  enemies  within  the  border?  She  prayed  to  know 
what  to  do,  her  lips  not  moving,  while  the  quick 
little  ears  watched  like  sentinels  on  duty,  to  hear. 
"Softly,  softly  there,  my  good  fellow."  Mr.  Bliss 
was  saying  propitiatingly.  "Your  heart  and  dispo- 
sition are  all  right,  but  you  must  let  me  plan  for 
you.  Do  you  go  to  Mr.  Lee;  he  knows  the  lay  of 
the  land  perfectly,  and  how  to  inform  the  Council  at 
Cambridge.  Do  you  go  to  him;  he  will  probably 
start  at  nightfall,  and  carry  the  news." 

"Tory  Lee!"  exclaimed  Jim  with  a  smothered 
execration. 

"Speak  of  Mr.  Lee  in  that  manner  again,"  cried 
Mr.  Bliss  warmly,  "and  I  will  give  warning  of  you 
as  a  turbulent  fellow,  and  one  given  to  drink,  and 


108      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

have  you  locked  safely  in  the  jail,  where  you  will 
trouble  no  one." 

"I  didn't  mean  no  harm,"  said  Jim,  cooling  down 
as  the  other  warmed  up. 

"Then  see  that  you  obey  instructions,"  said  Mr. 
Bliss  curtly.  "Do  as  I  say;  carry  the  news  to  Mr. 
Lee,  and  give  him  the  cartridges  as  proof.  Then 
you  shall  be  rewarded,  never  fear,  when,  as  I  firmly 
believe,  the  king  will  be  intrenched  in  his  power 
over  the  Province,  and  these  deluded  fellow-towns- 
men of  ours  will  suffer  the  penalty  of  their  foolhardi- 
ness. "  He  stopped  suddenly,  and  without  another 
word  stole  softly  off,  and  was  lost  in  the  covert. 

"You're  a  sweet  one,  ain't  you  1  "  cried  Jim  in  an 
exasperated  way  after  him,  when  there  was  no  longer 
any  danger  of  being  heard.  "You'll  save  your  mean 
skin,  will  you,  until  you're  quite  sure  it's  safe  to 
holler  for  King  George,  an'  send  me  troopin'  an' 
trainin'  to  that  other  old  skin-flint,  Tory  Lee,  whom 
I'm  not  to  call  Tory  yet,  till  it's  safe  to  be  known 
as  a  Tory.  Confusion  to  you  both !  " 

He  slouched  off  a  few  feet,  —  and  Debby  drew  a 
long  breath  of  relief,  —  turned,  wavered  on  unsteady, 
drunken  feet,  lurched  a  bit,  and  suddenly  whirled 
with  an  astonished  cry  around  into  the  very  face  of 
Deborah  Parlin. 


THE  SIDE   OF   THE  KING.  1 09 


VII. 

"l  SHALL  GO  OVER  TO  THE  SIDE  OF  THE  KING." 

MRS.  PARLIN  hung  the  kettle  on  the  crane  for 
the  hot  cup  of  checkerberry  tea  for  supper 
against  the  time  that  her  good  man  should  come 
home.  All  through  this  long,  troubled  day  she  had 
gathered  what  news  she  could  from  various  persons 
passing  up  the  Old  Bay  Road,  the  thoroughfare  con- 
stantly travelled  since  the  first  settlers  built  one  side 
of  it  against  the  protecting  hill.  And  she  had  res- 
olutely "baked  and  brewed,  boiled  and  stewed,"  spun 
and  sewed,  keeping  the  little  cottage  neat  as  a  pin, 
as  was  her  wont,  and  filling  the  place  in  the  world 
God  evidently  intended  for  the  women  of  1775,  with 
no  thought  for  the  town's  centre  and  the  news  there 
to  be  obtained. 

"  Glad  am  I  that  Debby  is  with  Miliscent  this  troub- 
lous day,"  she  said  to  herself ;  "  for  the  child  with  her 
love  of  country  and  eager  mind  would  have  been  mis- 
erable enough  tied  to  her  spinning-wheel.  It  is  cold 
comfort  to  a  woman  to  sit  with  none  but  her  own 


110      A   LITTLE   MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

thoughts  for  company,  though  Heaven  knows  the 
children  are  a  blessing.  But  to  a  young  creature  like 
Debby  bursting  with  eagerness  to  be  free,  it  is  intol- 
erable distress.  Where  the  child  got  her  nature,  I 
cannot  see.  Surely  not  from  John  or  me." 

Mother  Parlin  never  said  a  truer  word.  John  Par- 
lin  was,  his  neighbors  and  townsfolk  said,  "the  salt 
of  the  earth,"  meaning  he  was  wholesome,  and  had 
sterling  qualities  that  would  keep  well.  But  he  was 
slow  to  exasperation,  and  as  heavy-mannered  as  one 
of  his  oxen,  whose  great  brown  eyes  looked  exactly 
like  his.  And  he  had  gone  down  in  the  village  rec- 
ords as  "  Sot  as  a  mule,"  the  New  England  parlance 
for  having  a  will  of  one's  own.  And  Mrs.  Parlin, 
she  that  was  Lyddy  Thompson,  was  of  the  same 
build,  — square  and  upright,  and  honest  in  body  and 
mind. 

Where  little  Debby  of  the  peach-bloom  and  dim- 
ples, and  light  dancing  feet  and  sunny  smile,  with 
the  eager  soul  looking  out  of  her  laughing  eyes  that 
could  be  fired  with  sudden  purpose,  ever  came  by  it 
all,  was  a  mystery  of  mysteries.  None  of  the  other 
children  were  like  her.  There  was  Johnny,  more 
lumpish  than  either  father  or  mother  had  been  at  his 
age,  a  boy  of  ten,  who  if  he  had  enough  corn-meal 
griddle-cakes  and  doughnuts  to  eat,  and  a  good  store 


THE  SIDE   OF   THE  KING.  Ill 

of  nuts  laid  by  for  winter  nibbling,  seldom  cared  to 
stir  from  his  beaten  tracks.  And  Doris,  the  girl 
who  came  next,  seven  years  old,  went  soberly  around 
the  kitchen  and  woodshed,  in  reduced  pattern,  like 
her  mother  in  feature  and  figure.  And  to  wind  up 
the  list,  the  baby  was  the  roly-poliest  little  object, 
just  fat  and  stolid;  calmly  blinking  at  the  world, 
evidently  intending  to  pattern  after  his  immediate 
predecessors  when  he  got  big  enough  to  strike  out 
for  himself  on  his  own  two  feet. 

But  Mrs.  Parlin  did  not  waste  much  time  over  mys- 
teries. It  wasn't  her  way  to  bother  over  them,  having 
enough  to  do  to  keep  the  daily  work  "  down  from 
around  my  ears  "  she  often  said  ;  so  now,  as  she  filled 
her  kettle  with  fresh  water  from  the  well  beside  the 
cottage  door,  she  followed  the  course  she  had  ob- 
served all  through  the  troubled  day;  rejoiced  her  soul 
with  thankfulness  that  Debby  was  with  her  friend,  and 
in  the  stimulating  atmosphere  of  the  Barrett  house- 
hold ;  was  glad  that  things  were  no  worse,  and  that 
the  lawlessness  of  the  morning  on  the  Common  was 
subdued,  and  that  she  and  her  family  still  had  a 
house-roof  over  them  that  they  could  call  their  own. 
"Though  how  long  that  will  be,  Heaven  only  knows," 
she  sighed. 

Clearly,  where  everybody  was  necessarily  reduced 


112      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCOKD    TOWN. 

to  such  a  state  of  constant  worry  as  were  the  home- 
steaders in  the  Massachusetts,  or  Old  Bay,  Province, 
in  the  stormy  days  preceding  the  war  of  the  American 
Revolution,  there  was  a  place  and  a  mission  for  such 
good  souls  as  Mrs.  John  Parlin,  whose  very  existence 
seemed  to  promise  strength  and  solidity  and  repose 
to  the  community. 

Mr.  Parlin  strode  heavily  up  the  little  path  that  led 
by  the  enormous  elm,  within  his  enclosure,  to  the  cot- 
tage door.  His  wife  met  him  with  a  mild  and  placid 
brow.  "  Come  in,  John,"  she  said,  with  a  kind  hand 
on  his  arm.  "You're  dreadfully  tired.  Doris,  get 
father's  slippers." 

"  Yes,  I  am,  Lyddy,  and  that's  a  fact."  John  Parlin 
sank  down  heavily  in  his  chintz-covered  chair,  that 
creaked  in  every  joint,  as  it  had  done  for  years  from 
the  same  cause.  "And  I  shall  be  tired'n  this  before 
long,  I  'xpect.  Wife,  give  me  my  dish  o'  checkerberry 
tea  right  here." 

"O  father!"  expostulated  Mrs.  Parlin,  "ain't  you 
going  to  wash  up? "  all  her  spirit  of  neatness  quite  in 
alarm.  "Doris,  fill  mother  the  tin  basin  with  water, 
and  bring  it  and  the  towel." 

"No,  I  ain't,"  said  Mr.  Parlin  decidedly;  "not  till 
I've  had  a  good  drink  of  checkerberry  tea,  anyway." 
He  held  out  his  hand  for  the  bowl,  and  drained  it  dry. 


THE   SIDE   OF   THE  KING.  113 

Then  he  wiped  his  lips  deliberately,  and  got  out  of  his 
chair,  motioning  Doris  away,  who  was  coming  across 
the  kitchen  with  slow,  heavy  steps,  bearing  the  wash- 
basin and  towel.  "  Bring  it  back,"  he  said  briefly, 
going  into  the  woodshed  for  the  wash-up,  which  was 
always  performed  with  conscientious  and  painstaking 
deliberation.  Then  he  came  back,  and  drew  up  to  the 
humble  repast  now  set  forth  on  the  table. 

"There's  going  to  be  a  war,  sure  enough,"  he  said 
calmly,  and  looking  over  his  slice  of  brown  bread  to 
his  wife,  with  calm,  bovine  eyes;  ''so  you  and  me, 
Lyddy,  's  got  to  get  ready  for  it." 

"Yes,  I  s'pose  so,"  said  Mrs.  Parlin,  with  an  air 
of  quiet  assent  that  accepted  the  inevitable.  "Well, 
John,  it  is  to  be,  and  God  will  see  us  through  it." 

Mr.  Parlin  nodded  reflectively  and  returned  to  his 
brown  bread.  "Give  me  the  Bible,  wife,"  he  said  at 
the  conclusion  of  the  meal,  when  she  and  Doris  put 
away  the  remains  of  the  frugal  repast,  and  swept  up 
the  crumbs;  "and  we'll  have  prayers." 

"  I  was  thinking  you'd  tell  me  what's  been  going  on 
to-day,"  said  Mrs.  Parlin,  pausing,  broom  in  hand,  a 
moment;  "seem's  if  every  one  going  by  here  had 
dropped  in  with  something  worse'n  the  last  one,  and 
I  said  to  myself,  '  I'll  wait  till  father  gets  home,  and 
know  the  truth.'" 


114      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

For  answer,  Mr.  Parlin  asked  abruptly,  "Where's 
Debby?" 

"She's  over  to  Miliscent  Barrett's,"  said  his  wife: 
"I  told  her  she  might  stay  all  night.  Miliscent  came 
for  her  this  morning." 

Her  husband  looked  around  the  kitchen  as  if  miss- 
ing something,  with  as  much  longing  as  his  face  ever 
expressed;  but  there  was  an  expression  of  relief,  after 
all,  as  he  said  briefly,  "  Well,  reach  me  the  Bible,  wife, 
and  come  to  prayers." 

So  the  big  old  Bible,  its  leathern  lids  encased 
in  a  dark  red  spotted  calico  cover,  was  lifted  rever- 
ently down  from  the  shelf,  and  put  on  the  father's 
knees;  the  tallow  candle  was  trimmed,  and  John 
and  Doris  folded  their  pudgy  hands.  Mrs.  Parlin  sat 
decorously  by  her  husband  while  he  sonorously  read 
a  long  chapter,  then  knelt  to  offer  a  longer  prayer. 

After  this  was  concluded,  Mrs.  Parlin  reached 
down  her  knitting-work,  the  long  blue-yarn  stock- 
ing, and  began  to  clack  her  needles.  She  did 
not  suggest  again  any  communication  from  her 
husband.  Once  expressed,  such  a  thing  was  never 
repeated.  But  she  looked  at  him  anxiously.  He 
was  different  to-night,  that  she  clearly  saw,  from 
any  other  home-coming.  He  looked  up  at  last, 
and  saw  her  regarding  him. 


THE  SIDE   OF  THE  KING.  115 

"Send  the  children  to  bed,  wife,"  he  said.  "I 
want  to  talk  with  you." 

"Go  to  bed,  Doris,"  said  her  mother,  "and  you 
too,  Johnny.  Good-night." 

Both  children  went  out,  Doris  across  the  hall, 
over  the  landing  of  the  stairs,  to  the  little  room 
that  jutted  into  the  greensward,  and  Johnny  to  the 
gabled  loft  above.  The  baby  was  already  asleep 
in  the  trundle-bed  in  the  bedroom. 

"Shut  the  door,"  said  Mrs.  Parlin.  "  Now,  John," 
as  they  were  left  alone  by  the  fireside,  "tell  me  all 
that  is  on  your  mind;  for  that  something  is,  and 
weighing  heavier  than  the  coming  war,  there  is  no 
manner  o'  doubt." 

"You  say  truly,  Lyddy, "  agreed  John  Parlin; 
"and  yet  'tis  occasioned  by  the  war  that  has  set 
me  to  thinking  so  I  scarcely  know  myself  to-night." 

"  I  should  give  you  a  dose  of  boneset  if  1  didn't 
know  the  troublous  times  had  made  so  many  folks 
queer-actin'  and  thinkin',"  remarked  Mrs.  Parlin, 
not  relaxing  her  even  and  monotonous  clack,  but 
making  her  blue  rounds  just  the  same,  so  that  one, 
looking  on,  might  be  said  to  see  the  stocking 
grow.  "  Now,  the  sooner  you  get  it  off  your  mind, 
whatever  it  is,  John,  the  better  you'll  feel." 

"  I  must  lead  up  to  it,  Lyddy,"  said  her  husband. 


Il6      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"easy  like.  You  know  I  never  could  be  driv.  So  let 
me  take  my  own  way."  He  put  one  foot  slowly  over 
the  other,  and  gazed  at  the  fire  a  moment  without 
further  speech. 

Mrs.  Parlin  made  at  least  three  rounds  on  her 
stocking.  Then  because,  even  to  her  slow  nature, 
some  movement  was  necessary,  she  got  out  of  her 
chair,  and  went  and  looked  at  the  clock  in  the  corner, 
taking  a  longer  glance  at  her  husband's  ruminating 
figure  on  the  way  back. 

"Yes,  the  war  is  surely  coming,  Lyddy,"  at  last  he 
said. 

"  I  know  it." 

"  And  we've  got  to  get  ready  for  it,  you  and  me." 

"You  said  that  before." 

"  Folks  who  have  children,"  observed  John  Parlin, 
not  noticing  her  remark,  "have  a  sight  to  think  of, 
Lyddy,  in  these  times  that  try  men's  souls." 

Mrs.  Parlin  made  no  reply  to  this.  Her  husband 
proceeded. 

"  If  the  war  comes,  and  it  is  a-coming,  what  will  we 
do,  Lyddy  ?  Where's  the  provision  for  our  children  ? " 

"We've  got  the  same  provision,  I  s'pose,"  said  his 
wife,  "as  everybody  else  in  this  town  has;  just  noth- 
ing at  all,  when  it  comes  to  that.  The  war,  when  it 
is  once  upon  us,  will  use  us  all  up  alike ;  and  if  King 


THE  SIDE   OF   THE  KING.  1 1/ 

George  beats,  why  provision,  if  we  had  any,  wouldn't 
be  of  any  earthly  good  to  us  nor  the  children  after 
us." 

"That's  it/'  said  John  Parlin  gloomily,  staring  at 
the  fire ;  "  we  might  as  well  be  all  dead  then,  and 
that's  a  fact." 

He  continued  to  ruminate  over  this  last  idea ;  and 
his  wife,  uncertain  how  far  to  interrupt  him,  clacked 
away  vigorously  at  her  knitting,  wondering  at  this 
most  unusual  mood.  The  big  cross-log  cracked  with 
bright  little  snaps  that  proclaimed  the  penetrating 
flame  pushing  its  path  into  the  heart  of  the  hickory, 
and  lighting  up  the  pewter  on  the  dresser  opposite. 
Everything  in  the  kitchen  was  outwardly  bright  and 
cheery,  except  the  figure  of  the  farmer,  who,  as  he 
thought  on,  settled  down  in  his  chair  with  a  depres- 
sing droop,  that,  despite  her  habitual  placidity,  made 
his  spouse  conscious  of  nervous  little  creeps  down 
her  spinal  column.  At  last  she  dropped  the  knitting 
into  her  lap  from  sheer  inability  to  k-ep  still,  and 
said,  "Now,  John,  tell  me  all  without  delay.  What 
are  you  thinking  of?" 

Her  husband  set  down  both  feet  to  the  floor,  raised 
himself  in  his  chair,  and  looked  at  her  long  and  de- 
liberately. 

"Lyddy,"  he  said,  with  that  slow  utterance    that 


Il8      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

gives  token  of  the  choice  of  each  word,  "I've  always 
been  fer  liberty  and  our  rights,  and  I've  been  a  good 
citizen  of  this  town,  hain't  I?" 

She  kept  her  eyes  on  his  face,  unable  to  reply.  A 
vague  notion  of  all  the  war-talk  having  gone  to  his 
head,  and  unsettled  his  wits,  crossed  her  mind;  but 
one  glance  at  his.  clear  blue  eyes,  and  she  dismissed 
the  idea,  and  held  her  breath  while  he  went  on, — 

"Well,  Lyddy,  I've  stood  it  day  in  and  day  out, 
working  and  toiling,  and  praying  and  hoping.  I'll 
live  on  bread  and  water  all  my  life,  and  you  know 
it,  Lyddy,  to  live  and  die  a  free  man.  But  to-day, 
Lyddy,  when  that  accursed  news  "  —  his  big  face  was 
very  white  now  —  "  came,  and  I  see  how  useless  and 
wicked  'tis  for  those  of  us  who've  got  children  to  pro- 
vide for,  to  hold  out  longer,  when  King  George  has 
got  us  body  and  soul,  why,  Lyddy,"  he  drew  in  his 
breath  hard,  and  spoke  through  his  set  teeth,  "I've 
made  up  my  mind  to  go  over  to  the  side  of  the  king." 

The  woman  sprang  from  her  chair.  "  O  John  !  stop 
where  you  be.  Stop,  not  another  word!  See,  I'll  go 
down  on  my  knees  to  you,  but  you  shall  take  that 
back."  She  slid  down  to  the  floor,  and  clasped  her 
hands  over  his  hard  and  knotty  ones.  "You're  not 
well,"  she  cried,  crouching  low  and  fondling  him, 
while  she  writhed  on  the  floor.  "You're  all  worn 


THE  SIDE   OF  THE  KING.  I  1 9 

out;  this  is  the  reason  you  say  such  dreadful  words. 
Come  to  bed."  She  essayed  to  draw  him  out  of  the 
chair  as  she  tried  to  regain  her  feet. 

"Yes,  I  be,  Lyddy;  well  as  ever  I  was  in  my  life," 
declared  her  husband  solemnly.  "You  let  me  be. 
I've  ben  thinking  this  all  out  to-day,  and  it's  best  said 
to-night.  Get  up  and  set  in  your  chair.  You  must 
hear  me." 

"  No,  I'll  kneel  to  you ;  it's  the  best  place  for  me," 
she  cried,  "so  I  may  be  able  to  turn  you  from  such 
speech,  when  it  shows  you  how  your  wife  can  beg  on 
her  knees.  O  John  !  take  back  those  words.  Better 
to  struggle,  to  face  death,  ay,  to  die,  us  and  the  chil- 
dren, than  to  hear  such  words.  Oh,  my  husband  !  " 

She  did  not  cry  —  far  worse  was  it  to  hear  the  tear- 
less sobs ;  and  John  Parlin  turned  his  face  away,  and 
his  big  hands  shook. 

"  Lyddy,"  his  voice  was  determined  and  low,  like 
that  of  a  man  whose  mind  is  made  up,  "  I  tell  you  sol- 
emnly that  the  struggle  is  useless.  We  have  no  right 
to  condemn  our  children  to  what  will  surely  come  if 
we  persist  against  the  king.  Our  farm  will  be  confis- 
cated, and  our  children  will  be  beggars." 

"Let  such  a  fate  come."  She  raised  her  head 
proudly.  "  Beggars  we  may  be,  but  we  will  never  eat 
the  bread  of  traitors." 


120      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

He  winced  at  the  word,  but  went  on  doggedly, 
"And  to  hold  out  at  such  a  time,  believing  that  God 
himself  has  left  us  no  alternative,  I  know  is  down- 
right wickedness.  I  shall  go  over  to  the  side  of  the 
king;  there  is  no  more  to  be  said." 

She  sprang  to  her  feet  once  more,  and  drew  away 
from  him.  She  was  a  large,  square  woman,  and  now 
in  the  bright  firelight  she  seemed  to  tower  over  him 
from  a  terrible  height. 

"John  Parlin,"  she  said,  "when  I  married  you  I 
gave  my  faith  and  my  love  to  a  man  who  feared  God 
and  loved  his  country.  I've  served  you  faithfully, 
John,  as  God  will  testify  in  the  last  great  day.  This 
night  you  have  said  words  that  have  made  a  bar  be- 
tween us  that  nothing  can  lower  until  you  take  them 
back."  She  stepped  forward,  lighted  another  candle 
from  the  one  on  the  table,  and  left  the  kitchen,  leaving 
him  immovable  and  stiff  as  he  sat  staring  into  the 
fire. 


WHERE  IS  DEBBY?  121 


VIII. 

WHERE   IS    DEBBY? 

HE  was  there  in  the  gray  morning  light  when 
she  came  out  of  the  little  room,  where  alone 
with  Doris,  fast  asleep  in  fat,  pudgy  innocence  of 
trouble  or  sorrow,  she  had  fought  out  her  battle.  To  a 
woman  like  Lyddy  Thompson,  brought  up  in  the  most 
rigid  belief  that  by  love  of  God  and  of  country,  one 
held  to  all  that  made  life  endurable  or  honorable, 
the  shock  that  she  had  received  had  dealt  a  most 
awful  blow.  Her  hair  did  not  turn  white,  it  is  true, 
in  this  single  night;  but  her  vital  force  had  suffered 
in  a  way  that  she  knew  meant  for  her  to  be  there- 
after a  different  woman.  And  she  arose  from  her 
knees  where  at  intervals  she  had  thrown  herself  dur- 
ing the  long  hours  of  her  agony  to  bury  her  face 
in  the  patched  bedquilt  in  that  voiceless  entreaty 
that  is  swifter  than  any  words,  and  passed  out  to 
take  up  her  round  of  daily  work  with  full  realiza- 
tion of  being  this  changed  creature.  All  the  blood 
of  her  ancestors,  who  had  fought  to  plant  the  Colonies, 


122      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOW  A'. 

who  had  struggled  to  maintain  them,  and  who  by 
prayer  and  precept  had  died  exhorting  their  children 
to  so  fight  and  struggle,  now  seemed  to  assert  itself 
in  her  throbbing  veins.  She  shut  her  lips  tightly, 
and  with  a  marble  front,  that  had  hitherto  been  stolid 
and  comfortable  placidity,  she  proceeded  to  the  duty 
nearest  at  hand. 

Her  husband  turned  heavily  in  his  chair,  and 
scanned  her  from  beneath  his  thick  light  eyebrows, 
and  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  almost  started  in 
surprise.  To  any  one  who  had  seen  Mrs.  John  Par- 
lin  the  day  before,  it  would  be  impossible  to  believe 
the  matron  now  performing  the  household  tasks  to 
be  the  same  woman.  John  Parlin  stared  at  her  as 
he  had  previously  stared  at  the  fire,  but  she  ap- 
peared to  take  no  notice  of  him.  When  the  break- 
fast was  ready,  she  simply  announced  the  fact,  and 
drew  up  her  chair,  and  tied  on  the  baby's  eating- 
apron  with  an  unmoved  face. 

"  Father,  come  to  breakfast,"  said  Doris.  Johnny 
was  already  in  his  place,  with  his  eyes  on  the  plate 
of  hot  smoking  buckwheat  griddle-cakes. 

"I  don't  want  any  breakfast,"  said  Mr.  Parlin  in 
a  gruff  voice. 

Mrs.  Parlin  folded  her  hands,  and  offered  the  grace 
herself.  An  observance  that  astonished  the  children 


WHERE   IS  DEBBY?  123 

so  much  that  Johnny  transferred  his  attention  from 
the  griddle-cakes  to  his  mother's  face,  on  which  he 
hung  open-eyed  and  open-mouthed. 

"Eat  your  breakfast,"  she  said.  So  both  children 
betook  themselves  to  their  plates  and  mugs.  The  baby 
slapped  his  spoon  into  the  molasses  cup,  and  succeeded 
in  overturning  it,  which  made  a  diversion,  and  a  relief 
to  the  overstrained  woman,  as  it  necessitated  quick 
movement  on  her  part  for  repairs,  and  took  her  out 
of  the  reach  of  curious  eyes.  When  she  came  back 
with  the  cloth  to  wipe  up  the  sticky  mess,  her  husband 
was  gone  from  the  chair.  She  showed  no  sign  of 
feeling  at  the  discovery. 

"Father  hain't  eaten  any  breakfast/'  said  Doris, 
laying  down  her  knife  and  fork  in  slow  but  decided 
amazement.  "  He's  gone  out." 

"  He  hain't  eaten  any  breakfast,"  repeated  Johnny, 
between  his  mouthfuls  of  dripping  cakes. 

"You  eat  your  own,"  commanded  Mrs.  Parlin  in 
a  stern,  cold  voice.  "  Did  you  hear  me  tell  you  ?  I 
speak  but  once,  you  remember." 

They  ducked  their  heads,  and  again  addressed  them- 
selves to  their  plates,  with  an  occasional  side  glance 
at  the  tall,  stern  woman  whom  they  had  never  seen  as 
their  mother,  and  finished  the  meal  in  silence. 

Everything  was  attended  to  as  usual,  with  the  most 


124      A   LITTLE   MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

scrupulous  care.  And  Mrs.  Parlin  at  last  sat  down 
to  the  mending-basket  and  an  overstocked  supply 
of  sewing.  And  then  for  the  first  time  she  began  to 
wonder  why  Debby  was  late,  and  what  could  have 
kept  her  from  obeying  the  injunction  to  be  home 
bright  and  early;  for  the  girl  never  disobeyed  the 
slightest  wish  of  father  or  mother.  All  through  the 
terrible  night  had  been  the  one  only  cause  for  thank- 
fulness that  the  girl,  the  loved  one  of  the  household, 
had  been  saved  the  shock  of  hearing  from  the  father's 
own  lips  that  he  was  a  traitor  to  his  country.  "  It 
would  have  killed  her,"  the  mother  moaned  within 
her  parched  and  silent  lips.  But  now  the  mother, 
her  heart  wrenched  at  one  awful  strain  away  from 
its  natural  abiding-place,  turned  with  unspeakable 
longing  to  the  bright  presence  who  was  the  light  and 
comfort  of  the  house,  and  she  cried  aloud  once  to 
herself  as  she  sat  there,  "Deborah  —  O  Deborah!" 

But  the  clock  ticked  on,  and  she  came  not.  At  last 
footsteps  were  heard,  light  and  quick.  Mrs.  Parlin's 
heart  gave  a  great  leap  of  dread  now  that  the  event- 
ful moment  had  really  arrived ;  and  she  sewed  ner- 
vously as  a  light  figure,  too  swiftly  to  distinguish  it, 
came  around  the  cottage. 

"Mrs.  Parlin,"  called  Miliscent  Barrett,  coining 
quickly  into  the  kitchen,  "why  did  you  not  let  Debby 


WHERE  IS  DEB  BY?  125 

stay  all  night?  I  want  her  to  come  up  again  this 
morning." 

Mrs.  Parlin's  work  dropped  to  her  lap,  and  she 
stared  in  speechless  amazement  out  of  a  white  face 
into  the  blooming  one  of  the  girl. 

"  If  it  troubles  you  to  let  her  go  —  oh  !  are  you  ill  ?  " 
as  the  woman  sent  out  her  long  arms  and  beat  the  air 
with  her  hands.  "  Debby  —  come,  come  quickly  — 
your  mother!  " 

"Where  is  Debby?"  gasped  the  mother;  "where  is 
my  girl,  my  all?  Where  is  Debby?" 

"Where  is  Debby?"  repeated  Miliscent,  her  own 
cheek  blanching,  "why  here,  of  course.  She  left  my 
house  yesterday  afternoon  to  go  down  to  the  Common 
to  find  my  grandfather,  on  an  errand  ;  and  she  came 
home,  didn't  she  ?  She  didn't  come  back  to  us." 

"  She  is  not  here  —  she  never  came  back  !  " 

Miliscent  was  only  conscious  that  a  tall  figure  stood 
over  her  calling  in  wild  accents  on  God  to  restore  her 
daughter,  that  she,  Miliscent,  rushed  out  of  the  kitchen 
and  summoned  the  children  to  stay  with  their  mother, 
while  she  prepared  to  run  on  anguished  feet  up  to 
Captain  James  for  help  in  this  distressful  moment. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  A  voice  that  came  from  the 
other  side  of  the  stone  wall  dividing  Mr.  Parlin's  farm 
from  that  of  his  next  neighbor  caused  her  to  look 


126      A    LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

up  into  the  yellow  face,  under  its  big  inevitable  hand- 
kerchief, of  Aunt  Keziah. 

Miliscent  was  not  afraid  of  her,  as  were  most  of  the 
village  young  people,  nor  had  she  any  particular  rea- 
son for  dislike,  not  being  a  neighbor.  She  recognized 
gladly  the  fact  that  here  was  a  woman  who  probably 
could  look  after  the  half-crazed  mother  better  than  two 
small  frightened  children.  So  she  said  quickly,  "  O 
Miss  Felton  !  Mrs.  Parlin  is  sick  —  she  has  had-  bad 
news.  Will  you  go  in  and  stay  with  her  while  I  go 
for  help?" 

"  Yes,  yes,"  grunted  Aunt  Keziah,  not  ill-pleased  at 
an  opportunity  to  display  her  medical  lore  ;  "  as  soon 
as  I  have  got  my  herb-pot,  which,  thank  fortune,  is 
ever  steeping  by  the  fire,  I  will  be  right  over." 

She  disappeared  within  her  own  house  before  Milis- 
cent could  remark  that  the  case  was  not  one  for  medi- 
cine save  that  required  for  an  anguished  heart ;  and  the 
girl,  with  her  own  misery  of  the  dread  of  ill  befalling 
her  best-loved  friend  haunting  her  every  step,  hurried 
on,  the  hot  August  sun  beating  down  on  her  unpro- 
tected head,  for  she  had  dropped  her  sunbonnet  in 
the  Parlin  cottage. 

Where  was  Debby  ? 

"  Ha ! "  Jim  Haskins  had  exclaimed,  and  seized 
both  of  Debby's  supple  wrists  before  she  had  time 


WHERE   IS  DEBBY.  12? 

to  move,  "  been  listening,  have  you  ? "  He  brought 
his  drunken  face  so  near  to  the  girl  that  she  recoiled 
in  disgust.  "Well,  you  shall  have  no  chance  to  tell 
what  you've  heard." 

"Jim,"  cried  Debby  in  a  passion,  "unhand  me 
this  instant."  She  shook  his  hard  hands  in  her 
efforts  to  get  free.  But  he  was  too  far  gone  in 
drink  and  the  fury  of  passion  at  having  all  his  plans 
thrown  out  by  this  girl,  Abner  Butterfield's  sweet- 
heart. It  was  gall  and  wormwood  to  him,  and  a 
thousand  times  worse  than  having  it  found  out  by 
any  one  else.  He  took  both  of  her  hands  in  one  of 
his  big  ones,  and  held  them  as  in  a  vice,  with  the 
other  whipping  out  of  his  pocket  a  leathern  string. 
"Here  you'll  stay,  ha,  ha!  You  needn't  think 
your  news,  that  you've  so  cleverly  got,  will  do  any 
good."  With  a  few  swift  passes  (Jim  was  quick  and 
handy  at  a  knot)  he  had  her  safely  bound,  her  hands 
behind  her,  to  a  tree,  the  cruel  string  cutting  into 
her  young  and  tender  flesh. 

Debby  gathered  up  all  her  soul  into  one  mighty 
scream;  but  she  regretted  it  the  minute  afterward, 
for  he  turned  suddenly  from  regarding  his  work, 
pulled  out  his  red  cotton  handkerchief,  and  thrust 
it  in  her  mouth.  "  Now  you  can  scream  all  you 
want  to,  or  try  to,  Miss  Debby  Parlin."  He  gave  a 


128      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

parting  laugh,  and  then  loped  off,  plunging  deeper 
into  the  thicket,  and  was  lost  to  view. 

How  long  she  stood  there  before  she  was  con- 
scious of  making  any  effort  to  free  herself  Debby 
never  knew.  She  was  in  such  a  dense  forest,  with 
the  underbrush  thickly  filling  up  the  interstices,  that 
there  was  no  opportunity  to  tell  by  the  sun's  rays, 
for  all  was  dark  and  cool.  She  was  first  brought  to 
herself  by  the  stinging  pain  in  her  hands,  and  an 
intolerable  sense  of  anguish  from  the  gag  in  her 
mouth.  It  was  useless  to  pull  against  the  leathern 
string  and  struggle  to  be  free,  for  every  movement 
only  strained  it  deeper  into  the  flesh.  She  at 
last,  after  several  worse  than  useless  attempts,  re- 
signed herself  to  waiting  until  some  one  who  missed 
her  should  come  to  her  release. 

It  was  madness  to  think  of  word  being  carried  to 
Tory  Lee,  who  would  deliver  it  to  the  council  at  Cam- 
bridge, warning  them  of  preparations  for  warfare,  and 
possibly  an  uprising  by  the  people.  Debby  felt  her 
brain  swim  at  the  thought  of  what  the  effect  of  those 
words  might  be,  if  only  to  anger  the  leaders  of  the 
Regulars,  and  swell  the  already  aggressive  spirit  of 
the  enemy  to  more  oppression. 

"  I  will  die,  but  I  will  make  one  more  attempt,"  she 
determined ;  but  the  swoon  that  it  produced  made  her 


WHERE  IS  DEBBY?  1 29 

see,  when  her  brain  cleared  and  she  came  to  herself, 
that  it  must  not  be  repeated. 

It  must  be  near  nightfall  now.  Yes,  the  birds  were 
twittering  about  her  poor  head  in  that  sleepy  fashion 
that  bespeaks  the  nest  and  the  folded  wing,  as  they 
fluttered  to  their  resting-places.  Debby  closed  her 
eyes  and  tried  to  pray.  The  good  Father  would 
take  care  of  her,  and  let  some  one  find  her.  But 
that  was  not  so  much  matter  now,  since  it  would 
soon  be  too  late  to  keep  Tory  Lee  from  his  mission. 
Oh  1  she  would  pray  once  more  for  the  evil  she 
feared  to  be  averted.  "  Send  some  one,  O  God !  for 
Christ's  sake."  She  looked  up,  and  saw  a  man  re- 
garding har  with  a  fixed  and  curious  expression  as  he 
stood  behind  a  tree.  The  next  instant  he  had  torn 
the  red  cotton  handkerchief  from  her  mouth,  and  was 
cutting  the  leathern  thongs. 

"Poor  little  one!  "  he  said;  and  he  made  an  invol- 
untary movement  as  though  he  would  smooth  the 
rings  of  sunny  hair  lying  across  her  hot  and  aching 
brow,  then  his  hand  fell  away,  and  he  stepped  back, 
and  told  her  she  was  free. 

It  was  exquisite  torture  at  first  for  Debby  to  move 
her  arms,  so  long  bent  back  in  their  unnatural 
position,  and  she  nearly  fainted  from  the  trial,  as 
she  sank  upon  the  ground ;  seeing  which  the  stranger 


130      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

ran  lightly  to  the  river-bank,  and  brought  water  in  his 
hat,  with  which  he  laved  her  face  and  poor  arms 
until  she  opened  her  eyes.  Then  he  withdrew  as 
before,  and  regarded  her  closely.  He  was  dressed 
in  peddler's  attire,  having  his  pack  resting  against 
the  tree  behind  which  he  had  first  seen  the  girl. 
He  was  tall  and  slender,  now  standing  quite  erect; 
his  head,  on  which  was  a  wig  of  long,  straw-colored 
hair,  thrown  easily  back.  "What  wickedness  is 
this,"  he  cried  in  deep,  rich  tones  of  indignation, 
"that  has  been  perpetrated  here?  Do  not  try  to 
speak,  poor  girl ; "  for  Debby  was  making  ineffec- 
tual efforts  to  move  her  poor  swollen  mouth.  "  Enough 
that  I  have  been  able  to  rescue  you. ' ' 

"Oh,  I  thank  you,  kind  sir!"  mumbled  Debby, 
trying  to  regain  her  feet.  The  peddler  sprang 
forward,  and  put  forth  his  hand  to  help  her,  with  as 
much  deference  as  if  she  had  been  a  duchess.  The 
hand  struck  her  particularly;  it  was  long,  with 
tapering  fingers  and  nails  that  certainly  looked  like 
those  of  no  peddler  who  had  hitherto  crossed  her 
path.  She  gave  a  little  start,  but  quickly  recovered 
herself.  It  was  —  it  must  be  —  a  British  spy  in  dis- 
guise. She  must  be  on  her  guard  about  giving  in- 
formation. 

"  Can  I  —  can  I  —  help  you  ?  "  asked  the  peddler 


WHERE   IS  DEBBY?  131 

awkwardly,  and  speaking  in  a  high,  squeaky  voice. 
"  I  am  going  through  the  country,  miss,  at  my 
trade  of  selling  goods  to  the  farmers'  wives.  If  I 
might  see  you  safely  from  this  wood  to  your  home, 
for  it  has  been  perilous  enough  for  you  here."  He 
glanced  about,  as  if  for  sight  of  lurking  foe,  and 
waited  for  her  to  speak. 

"I  can  get  along,"  said  Debby,  with  a  hot  flush 
rising  on  her  white  face  ;  and  she  staggered  a  few 
paces  off,  then  stopped  a  moment  by  a  friendly  tree. 

He  did  not  offer  to  assist  her  again,  but  waited  till 
she  should  recover  freedom  of  motion.  Nor  did  he 
attempt  to  question  her;  but  turned  his  back  on  her, 
and  seemed  to  be  absorbed  in  contemplating  his  pack, 
resting  where  he  had  left  it.  Soon  Debby  essayed 
again  to  move  on. 

"  I  will  follow  you,"  said  the  peddler,  leaving  his  nat- 
ural tones  into  which  he  had  been  betrayed  when  lost 
in  pity  over  her  condition,  and  addressing  her  in  the 
squeaky  voice  as  before,  "at  a  distance,  miss;  then  if 
you  need  assistance  I  can  give  it."  He  slung  his 
pack  over  his  shoulders,  which  now  looked  bent  and 
worn,  and  dragged  on  hastily  a  pair  of  old  black  cot- 
ton gloves,  although  the  day  might  be  said  to  be  un- 
necessarily warm  for  such  an  addition  to  a  peddler's 
costume,  then  motioned  to  her  to  lead  the  way. 


132      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

Debby  went  off  very  well  for  some  paces.  Suddenly 
she  turned  swiftly,  went  back  to  the  peddler's  side,  and 
put  out  her  bruised  little  hand.  "  I  thank  you,  sir," 
she  said,  in  a  sweet,  serious  way,  and  raising  her  blue 
eyes  to  his  face,  "  for  saving  my  life,  and  for  all  your 
kindness." 

"  May  God  bless  you,  miss ! "  (again  the  stranger 
forgot  to  care  for  his  voice,  but  he  soon  recovered 
himself  with  a  cough.  He  took  the  outstretched  little 
hand  in  one  of  his,  and  covered  it  for  a  moment  with 
its  black-covered  mate),  "and  keep  you  from  all  harm 
forever.  Now  lead  on,  please,"  he  squeaked  forth 
suddenly ;  and  the  two  went  forth,  the  peddler  slouching 
along  well  to  the  rear,  his  head  bent  as  if  wholly  oc- 
cupied with  thoughts  of  his  travelling  gains;  while 
Debby,  as  her  wonted  strength  returned  to  her  with 
the  exercise,  stepped  off  faster  and  faster,  her  mind 
laying  rapid  plans  meanwhile. 

"  It  won't  ever  do  to  go  to  Captain  James's  house 
now,  nor  to  Milly's,"  she  said  to  herself.  "  If  he  is 
a  spy,  and  oh,  he  must  be  —  but  how  beautiful  he  is  1" 
Then  she  pulled  herself  up  with  a  remorseful  twinge. 
How  could  any  British  young  man  be  beautiful,  even 
if  he  had  wondrous  dark  eyes  and  long  taper  fingers  ? 
He  was  good,  certainly.  Debby  was  glad  her  con- 
science would  allow  her  to  admit  that,  for  he  had 


WHERE  IS  DEB  BY  133 

saved  her  from  a  terrible  fate;  indeed,  she  thought, 
she  must  have  died  before  morning  but  for  him; 
perhaps  there  yet  was  time  to  keep  Tory  Lee  from 
taking  his  message.  At  this  thought  she  struck  into 
a  run.  But  where?  She  must  not  let  the  peddler, 
whoever  he  might  be,  find  the  way  to  Captain  James's; 
yet  it  was  imperative  that  some  trusty  person  should 
hear  her  news  about  Tory  Lee  as  soon  as  possible. 
Where?  Oh,  to  Abner  Butterfield's,  of  course!  His 
tidy  farm,  where  he  lived  with  his  widowed  mother, 
was  but  a  mile  or  so  farther  on;  and  if  she  could  only 
get  this  peddler  to  put  aside  his  care  of  her,  she  should 
do  quite  well  enough,  and  reach  there  safely.  But 
no;  there  he  was  —  she  could  see  in  the  turn  in  the 
road,  as  she  glanced  backward  —  coming  on.  He  did 
not  seem  to  run,  but  to  get  over  the  ground  all  the 
same  easily  enough  with  long,  masterful  strides  that 
kept  about  the  same  distance  between '  them  as  at 
starting;  and  the  distance  was  traversed  in  this  fash- 
ion, till  at  last  the  candle  twinkled  out  from  a  win- 
dow of  the  old  brown  farmhouse  set  back  from  the 
road  that  was  known  as  the  " Butterfield  Place." 

Debby  stumbled  up  the  box-bordered  path  to  the 
kitchen  door.  She  could  hear  the  peddler  stop  out  in 
the  road  opposite  the  house  and  wait,  as  she  rapped 
with  a  tremulous  hand.  Then  the  candle  was  with- 


134      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

drawn  from  the  window,  and  heavy  steps  sounded  in 
the  entry,  and  the  green  door  was  thrown  wide. 

"  Why,  Deborah  Parlin ! "  the  peddler  could  hear 
Abner  Butterfield's  mother  say  in  her  high-keyed 
voice;  "for  the  land's  sakes,  what  brings  you  clear 
over  here  ?  " 


AT  THE  BUTTERFIELD  FARM.  135 


IX. 

AT   THE    BUTTERFIELD    FARM. 

«  A  BNER ! "    Debby  did  not  heed  Mrs.  Butterfield's 
1\.     exclamations   nor    her   look   of    surprise,    but 
rushed  past  her  into  the  kitchen's  depths. 

"  Why,  he  isn't  to  home,"  said  his  mother,  coming 
back  to  set  the  candle  on  the  table  and  look  at  her 
curiously.  She  knew  well  enough  her  son's  love  for 
this  little  blooming  damsel,  for  he  had  freely  confided 
it,  but  not  by  any  means  so  sure  was  she  that  it  was 
returned.  Indeed,  it  had  been  hinted  to  her  many 
times  that  Deborah  Parlin  looked  down  on  Abner, 
and  made  fun  of  him,  even  to  his  face,  for  his  big 
hands  and  feet  and  awkward  ways;  and  Mrs.  Butter- 
field  had  tossed  her  head,  and  said  she  guessed  her 
boy  needn't  to  go  seeking  very  hard  for  company. 
When  he  got  ready  to  settle  down  and  get  married, 
she'd  lay  a  shilling  he  could  have  his  pick  from  the 
best  girls  in  Concord  Town.  So  now  she  eyed  Debby 
sharply,  and  with  no  particular  favor,  waiting  for  her 
to  speak. 


136      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

But  Debby  did  not  seem  to  notice  aught  amiss  in 
face  or  manner.  "  O  Mrs.  Butterfield ! "  she  seized 
the  good  woman's  arm,  thus  bringing  into  view  the 
poor  cut  hands  and  wrists,  along  whose  surface  little 
drops  of  blood  had  trailed;  "where  is  he?  I  must 
see  him." 

"  Oh,  my  good  gracious  me  !  "  ejaculated  Mrs.  But- 
terfield with  a  sharp  look  at  them  ;  "  what's  the  matter 
with  your  hands  ? " 

"Nothing,"  said  Debby,  twitching  back  to  tuck  them 
under  her  apron.  "Never  mind.  Where  is  Abner? 
Oh,  dear  1  I  tell  you,  Mrs.  Butterfield,  I  must  see  him." 

"He  isn't  to  home  I  told  you,"  repeated  Mrs.  But- 
terfield testily;  "but,  you  poor  child,  lemme  take  your 
hands  —  they're  all  cut  up  dreadful.  I  must  wash  'em, 
and  bandage  'em  up  for  you  in  opodeldoc." 

"  I  don't  in  the  least  mind  my  hands,"  cried  Debby 
crossly,  with  another  twitch ;  "  and  you  will  oblige  me, 
Mrs.  Butterfield,  by  not  mentioning  'em  again."  And 
in  stalked  Abner,  to  find  his  mother  flushed  and  com- 
bative, and  Debby  in  a  pretty  pet,  standing  before 
her. 

She  flew  to  him  at  once.  "  Abner,"  she  said  in  an 
authoritative  way,  vastly  becoming  to  her,  thought  the 
young  man,  but  it  made  his  mother  grind  her  gums  in 
the  absence  of  many  important  teeth,  to  see  it.  "  I 


AT  THE  BUTTERFIELD   FARM.  137 

must  speak  to  you  at  once  on  a  very  important 
matter." 

Abner  looked  at  his  mother,  who  stood  her  ground 
valiantly.  Debby  went  swiftly  up  to  her.  "  I  want 
you  to  forgive  me,  Mrs.  Butterfield,"  she  said,  "for 
speaking  so;  but  I've  been  through  a  good  deal, 
though  that's  no  excuse,  and  I've  something  to  tell 
that  no  one  ought  to  know  but  Abner." 

"You  can  take  her  into  the  keepin'-room,  said 
Mrs.  Butterfield,  bobbing  her  large  head  at  Abner. 
"All  right,  child;  now  you  speak  some  way  decent." 
And  Debby,  in  a  tremor  to  get  her  news  delivered, 
fairly  ran  after  him  as  he  led  the  way,  and  shut 
the  door  behind  them. 

"We'll,  if  I  ever!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Butterfield,  left 
alone  in  the  kitchen  ;  "  well,  there,  there,  there  !  "  she 
cried  gustily,  quite  unable  to  stop  herself.  "  No,  I  never 
did  in  all  this  world;  I  declare  to  gracious,  I  never 
did."  Then  she  sat  down  in  the  big  calico-covered 
rocking-chair,  and  swung  back  and  forth  breezily. 

"  Abner,"  Debby  kept  her  hands  well  behind  her 
back,  as  she  told  all  the  story  hastily;  as  it  was 
done,  imploring  him  to  hurry,  and  prevent  in  some 
way  Tory  Lee  from  carrying  the  inflammatory  news 
to  Cambridge.  He  stood  still  a  moment,  thinking 
in  his  slow  way. 


138      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOW*. 

"  O  Abner !  why  don't  you  start  ? "  cried  Debby 
impatiently. 

"  It  is  too  late  to  keep  him  back,''  said  Abner. 
meditating  a  minute  or  so ;  "  for  he  has  already 
started,  probably.  But  I  ought  to  follow  him,  and 
track  him  to  Cambridge,  and  see  if  he  really  does 
meet  any  of  the  council.  But  where  did  you  come 
from  ?  You  must  get  home,  Debby."  He  bent  an 
anxious  look  on  the  young  girl's  face. 

"  Oh,  never  mind  me  ! "  exclaimed  Debby  more  im- 
patiently than  ever.  "  Besides,  I  wasn't  going  home 
to-night.  Mother  said  I  could  stay  with  Miliscent 
Barrett." 

"Then  I  ought  first  to  take  you  there,"  said  Abner, 
a  sudden  light  in  his  face. 

"  No,  no  !  I  can  go  with  Pompey,  can't  I  ?  You 
ought  to  hurry  off  this  minute,  Abner." 

"  I  s'pose  so,"  said  Abner,  the  light  dying  out. 
"Well,  I  ought,  as  you  say,  to  hurry;"  yet  he  made 
no  movement  for  the  door. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  cried  Debby  nervously.  There  was  no 
time  to  tell  him  about  the  peddler,  nor  was  she  certain 
that  it  was  a  subject  to  be  mentioned.  Surely  the 
first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  finish  the  business  in 
hand,  and  that  with  as  much  despatch  as  possible,  with- 
out wasting  time  on  any  other  story.  She  had  given 


AT  THE  BUTTERF1ELD   FARM.  139 

the  lightest  of  touches  concerning  the  way  in  which  she 
had  become  possessed  of  the  plan,  and  only  mentioned 
Jim's  name  incidentally  as  talking  with  Tory  Bliss  when 
she  had  overheard  the  conversation.  She  now  almost 
pushed  Abner  to  the  door.  "  Do  hurry,'*  she  begged. 

"  Mother,"  said  Abner,  going  into  the  kitchen, 
"  Pompey  must  take  Debby  down  to  Cap'n  James's. 
She  was  to  stay  there  over  night." 

"All  right,"  said  Mrs.  Butterfield,  rocking  noisily. 
"You  goin'  away?"  seeing  him  pick  up  his  cap  which 
he  had  thrown  down  on  the  table. 

"Yes ;  and  I  sha'n't  be  home  before  morning.  Take 
good  care  of  yourself,  mother."  He  went  over  and 
planted  a  kiss  on  her  wholesome  cheek. 

"And  you  be  careful  of  yourself,"  she  said;  "for 
these  are  troublous  times."  But  she  didn't  dare  ask 
him  his  errand. 

"Good-night  Debby;"  he  put  out  his  hand,  which 
she  pretended  not  to  see,  and  a  hurt  expression  came 
into  his  face  as  he  turned  away. 

"Abner,  don't  be  angry,"  she  began  —  "nonsense  !  " 
and  she  gave  a  little  laugh,  too  nervous  now  to  care 
for  anything,  as  the  reaction  was  coming. 

"Well,  I  must  wake  up  Pompey,"  said  Mrs.  But- 
terfield as  Abner's  footsteps  sounded  down  the  road, 
and  she  got  heavily  out  of  her  chair. 


140      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"  Oh,  dear  me !  has  he  gone  to  bed  ? "  cried  Debby 
in  dismay. 

"Why,  yes;  what  do  you  expect  at  this  time  o' 
night,"  said  Mrs.  Butterfield  ungraciously;  "long  after 
nine  o'clock."  And  she  went  out  the  door.  Debby 
could  hear  her  calling  up  to  the  barn  chamber  to  rouse 
the  negro  man  who  had  been  the  faithful  servant  of 
Abner's  father.  He  had  been,  some  folks  said,  a  slave 
when  a  boy,  but  no  one  knew  for  certain.  Mrs.  But- 
terfield now  called  and  called,  but  in  vain ;  and  then 
she  mounted  the  stairs  and  searched  for  herself. 

"Pompey  ain't  in  bed  nor  nowheres,"  she  an- 
nounced, coming  back  with  a  puzzled  face  to  set 
her  candle  on  the  table.  "Whewl  how  hot  I  bel 
Now,  what's  to  be  done  ?  You  was  to  stay  at  Cap'n 
James's,  was  you,  over  night  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Debby  in  a  miserable  little  voice. 
All  her  brave  spirit  had  suddenly  oozed  out  of  her, 
and  she  presented  a  very  abject  appearance  indeed. 
"  Miliscent  was  going  to  sleep  at  her  grandfather's, 
and  mother  promised  her  I  might  stay  with  her." 
At  mention  of  her  mother,  she  looked  ready  to  Cry, 
and  one  or  two  tears  did  fall  on  the  red  table- 
cloth. 

"Well,  you  can't  now,"  said  Abner's  mother, 
who  didn't  see  the  tears;  "you've  got  to  stay  all 


AT  THE  BUTTERFIELD  FARM.  14! 

night  here,  as  there  ain't  no  way  to  get  you  down 
there;  it's  black  as  Egypt  out,  'cause  there's  a  thun- 
der-storm, I  guess,  coming  up."  She  spoke  harsher 
than  she  otherwise  would,  thinking  of  Abner  out 
in  it,  driven  somewhere  by  this  girl,  on  some  fool's 
errand  maybe.  "You  can  take  a  ni'gown  of  mine; 
it's  the  only  way,"  she  added  shortly. 

"I  ain't  afraid  to  go  by  myself,"  said  Debby, 
twisting  her  poor  hands  hard.  Yet  she  thought  of 
the  peddler;  he  wouldn't  hurt  her,  even  if  she  should 
chance  upon  him,  for  he  was  good,  but  —  and  she 
hesitated. 

"Well,  I  guess,"  began  Mrs.  Butterfield  in  a 
loud,  high  key,  "that  I  know  better'n  to  let  you 
go  streaking  off  alone  this  dark  night,  Deborah 
Parlin.  I  shouldn't  want  to  meet  your  mother  after- 
ward, that's  all  I  say." 

"Where  shall  I  sleep?"  asked  Debby  in  a  broken 
little  voice,  longing  for  some  bedclothes  to  pull 
over  her  head,  or  she  would  disgrace  herself  and 
break  down  altogether. 

"You  can  sleep  along  of  me,  or  you  can  go  up 
in  the  back  chamber,"'  said  Abner's  mother. 

"Oh!  I'll  go  up  in  the  back  chamber,"  said 
Debby  quickly;  "  if  you  please,  and  you  don't 
mind,  Mrs.  Butterfield,"  she  added  humbly. 


142      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWb. 

"It  don't  make  no  difference  to  me;  the  clean 
sheets  is  on  the  bed.  You  can  take  that  candle," 
pointing  to  one  in  a  tin  stand  on  the  shelf. 

"Good-night,"  said  Debby.  "I  hope  you'll  say 
you  forgive  me  for  being  cross,"  she  said,  pausing 
a  minute  on  the  way  out. 

"Well,  I  will,"  said  Mrs.  Butterfield,  not  looking 
at  her.  Her  thoughts  were  all  on  her  boy,  off  some- 
where this  black  night,  she'd  give  a  good  deal  to 
know  where. 

Debby  went  up  the  crooked  stairs  unsteadily,  and 
set  the  candlestick  on  the  bureau  before  the  cracked 
looking-glass,  got  off  her  clothes  as  well  as  she  could 
for  her  hands,  that  now  began  to  bleed  afresh,  and 
curled  in  between  the  sheets,  which  she  pulled  well 
up  over  her  head.  Then  she  burst  into  a  torrent  of 
tears. 

"Mercy  me,  I  forgot  all  about  that  child's  hands!" 
exclaimed  Mrs.  Butterfield.  After  shooing  out  the 
cat,  and  tying  on  her  nightcap,  she  was  just  about 
to  step  into  her  own  bed,  and  with  a  stab  of  remorse 
that  was  genuine  and  deep,  she  toiled  over  the  stairs 
and  into  the  back  chamber.  Without  any  preamble 
this  time,  she  advanced  and  .gave  a  hasty  twitch  to 
the  bedclothes,  —  "  I'm  a-going  to  see  your  hands  now, 
for  I  won't  have  it  on  my  conscience  not  to  do  for 


AT  THE   BUTTERFIELD   FARM.  143 

'em,"  —  to  see  a  face  convulsed  with  sobs,  the  pillow 
drenched,  and  Debby  in  an  agony  of  grief. 

"You  poor,  blessed  little  creeter,  you!"  Abner's 
mother  bent  her  nightcap  over  the  bed,  and  just  lifted 
the  little  figure  up  until  it  rested  in  her  arms.  "There, 
there,  there ! "  She  cuddled  her  against  her  large  neck ; 
and  Debby  nestled  there,  a  hurt  little  thing,  without 
a  show  of  resistance.  "  Don't  try  to  talk,  nor  say  any- 
thing. I'm  a-going  to  take  care  of  you.  You're  a 
pretty  creeter  as  ever  lived."  She  was  passing  her 
large  hands  over  the  sunny  hair  now  with  even, 
soothing  strokes.  How  like  to  Abner's  hands  they 
were!  Debby  thought  her  own  mother's  could  not 
be  softer  nor  more  gentle.  "I  wouldn't  cry  if  I 
was  you."  But  Debby  was  beyond  all  power  to 
help  it;  and  Abner's  mother  soon  began  to  be  dis- 
mayed at  the  stream  of  tears  that  flowed  down  her 
neck,  and  the  sobs  that  shook  the  slender  little 
frame. 

"And  so  you  come  up  here  after  supper,"  she  said, 
to  make  diverting  conversation.  "Well,  there,  you 
must  be  tired." 

"I  haven't  had  any  supper,"  said  Debby  involun- 
tarily. 

"Land  o'  Liberty!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Butterfield. 
"I  b'lieve  the  child's  hungry.  Hain't  had  no  supper! 


144      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

Now  you  just  lie  there,"  she  slipped  the  bright  head 
on  the  pillow,  "and  don't  you  cry  no  more,  like  a 
pretty  creeter,  and  I'll  bring  you  up  something  to  eat, 
the  first  thing  I  do,  says  I." 

Debby,  with  a  big  flowered  calico  wrapper  over 
Mrs.  Butterfield's  "ni'gown,"  soon  sat  up  in  bed,  with 
a  generous  blue-edged  plate  on  her  knees,  while  Ab. 
ner's  mother  sat  at  the  foot  admiringly  watching  her 
eat,  and  alternately  suppressing  a  groan  of  dismay  as 
she  saw  the  full  extent  of  the  bruises  on  wrist  and 
hand  where  the  large  sleeves  fell  away. 

Debby  looked  up  as  the  last  scrap  disappeared,  and 
a  wan  little  smile  stole  over  her  face.  "I  think  you're 
awfully  good  to  me,"  she  said  simply. 

"  There,  there ! "  cried  Mrs.  Butterfield,  quite  over- 
come ;  and  setting  the  empty  plate  on  the  bureau  she 
began  to  cuddle  her  again.  "Don't  say  nothing  about 
it.  How  can  I  help  it?  You're  as  pretty  as  you  can 
be,  and  I  hain't  never  had  a  daughter." 

"And  I  was  so  cross  to  you,"  said  Debby  sorrow- 
fully, and  feeling  it  time  to  steer  clear  from  dangerous 
ground. 

"Don't  you  speak  of  that,"  said  Mrs.  Butterfield 
peremptorily;  "for  I've  forgot  about  it  long  ago." 

"But  I  can't  forget,"  said  Debby,  with  a  droop  of 
her  bright  head. 


AT  THE  BUTTERFIELD  FARM.  145 

"And  I  warn't  none  too  pleasant  to  you,"  said  Ab- 
ner's  mother,  "  to  be  honest  about  it.  So  I  want  you 
to  forgive  me.  You  see,  I  was  a-thinking  of  my  boy. 
I'm  bound  up  in  him,  Debby." 

"Yes,  yes,"  said  Debby,  realizing  that  the  ice  was 
becoming  thin  again,  and  it  was  best  to  skate  away. 
"Well,  I  wanted  to  tell  you,  dear  Mrs.  Butterfield,  what 
I'd  come  to  Abner  for;  but  it  wasn't  my  secret  alone, 
you  see." 

"And  I  don't  want  to  know,"  declared  Mrs.  Butter- 
field  most  decidedly.  "Now  I'm  going  down  for  the 
old  rags  and  the  opodeldoc;  and  I'll  have  these  poor 
hands  of  yours  done  up  so  nice,  you  won't  know  you 
got  any  hands  when  I  get  through." 

It  took  so  long  before  the  process  was  ended  of 
getting  them  where  Debby  was  not  to  know  that  there 
were  any  hands,  that  the  thunder-storm,  that  otherwise 
they  must  have  perceived  coming  up,  now  broke  in 
fury  over  the  old  brown  homestead,  that  shook  in  its 
every  casement. 

"I  don't  want  to  leave  you  up  here  alone,"  said 
Abner's  mother,  after  oh-ing  and  ah-ing  for  the  last 
time  over  the  poor  hands,  and  viewing  her  work  with 
great  satisfaction  as  the  big  bandages  lay  up  against 
the  pillow.  "  Hadn't  you  better  come  down  and  sleep 
along  of  me  ? " 


146      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Yes,"  said  Debby;  "I  should  like  it  very  much, 
Mrs.  Butterfield." 

"Well,  then,  says  I,  you  just  hop  out  of  bed,"  said 
Abner's  mother,  very  much  gratified,  "and  I'll  help 
you  down  ;  might  as  well  carry  this  pillar,  I  s'pose," 
bunching  it  under  one  arm  as  they  went  along. 

"  Oh !  I  can  get  down  by  myself,"  began  Debby 
brightly.  Then  she  thought  better  of  it,  and  allowed 
Mrs.  Butterfield  to  hoist  her  along  in  the  way  popu- 
larly supposed  to  be  a  great  assistance,  by  tucking  one 
hand  under  the  arm,  and  bestowing  a  series  of  persis- 
tent shoves,  indescribable  to  all  but  the  one  assisted. 
At  last,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  both,  the  journey 
was  accomplished,  and  Debby  lay  back  on  the  four- 
poster  in  the  big  bedroom  down-stairs. 

"  I  forgot  to  tell  you  that  I  always  sleep  on  feathers," 
said  Mrs.  Butterfield  ;  "but  then,  la!  it's  best  I  do  to- 
night, being  there's  such  a  thunder-storm.  You  ain't 
struck  on  top  o'  them." 

"I  don't  mind  the  feathers,"  said  Debby  happily, 
and  stretching  out  her  toes  comfortably  as  far  as  they 
would  reach. 

"Now  you  take  plenty  o'  room,  and  stick  out  your 
hands  on  the  pillar.  Don't  you  be  a  mite  afraid ;  they 
won't  be  in  my  way,"  continued  Mrs.  Butterfield,  with 
a  last  critical  survey  of  the"  two  white  bundles  that 


AT  THE  BUTTERFIELD  FARM.  147 

finished  Debby's  arms,  before  extinguishing  the 
candle. 

She  leaned  over  after  she  climbed  into  her  nest  of 
feathers  that  billowed  up  into  a  big  ridge  between  her 
stout  figure  and  the  slender  one.  "You  won't  mind,  I 
hope,  if  I  snore  some;  it's  kind  o'  comp'ny,  I  think,  to 
hear  the  human  voice  in  the  night,  and  sociable  like." 

But  Debby  was  beyond  all  the  pleasures  of  such 
entertainment,  being  fast  asleep  on  her  pillow. 


148      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 


X. 

AN   UNUSUAL   CONFERENCE. 

"  T  'CLAR  to  gracious,    massa,"   Pompey  shook   in 

JL  every  limb  like  an  aspen  leaf,  "  I'm  skeered  'clar 
through.  Oh,  golly !  "  as  a  terrific  boom  of  thunder 
rolled  over  their  heads ;  "  s'pose  the  Almighty  is  after 
ole  Pomp  'cause  he  done  run  away  ? " 

The  peddler  leaned  back  against  the  hayrick  and 
said,  "  I  suppose  the  Almighty  has  more  important 
business  on  hand  than  looking  after  you,  Pomp." 

"  S'pose  so,"  said  the  negro,  a  little  relieved ;  "  bul; 
Passon  Emerson,  he  do  say,  he  do,  that  there  can't 
no  one  git  away  from  God's  big  eye." 

"  Oh,  well !  you're  in  the  way  of  duty  now,  Pompey,'' 
observed  the  peddler  carelessly,  "  so  take  the  comfort 
of  it.  I'd  advise  you  to." 

Pompey  scratched  his  wool  with  anything  but  a 
happy  hand.  Still,  in  these  dismal  surroundings,  with 
the  rain  descending  in  torrents  around  them,  and  the 
elements  at  war  overhead,  it  was  something  to  hear 
a  word  of  encouragement. 


AN  UNUSUAL    CONFERENCE.  149 

"  And  as  we  are  shut  up  to  each  other's  society,  we 
might  as  well  enliven  the  time  by  conversation,"  the 
peddler  went  on  in  an  easy  voice.  It  was  astonishing 
how  soon  he  lost  his  squeaking  tones.  "  So  go  on, 
Pomp,  with  what  you  began  yesterday,  or  was  it  last 
week  when  first  we  met  ? '' 

"  Massa  question  a  body  up  so  I  can't  tell  all  de 
times,"  said  Pompey  in  a  discomfited  way. 

"  Well,  never  mind,  we  won't  be  exact  about  dates," 
said  the  peddler. 

"  An'  I'm  a-goin'  home,  massa,"  said  the  negro  with 
a  sudden  lifting  of  his  head,  "an'  tell  missis  why  I 
didn't  come  when  I  heerd  her  a-callin'  me  fit  to  split, 
an'  I  in  the  woodshed  corner  just  a-goin'  to  streak 
it  to  meet  you."  He  made  a  quick  movement  which 
the  peddler's  long  leg  intercepted,  so  that  with  a  howl 
Pompey's  round  body  rolled  over  and  over  on  the 
sodden  grass  beyond.  "Golly,  massa!"  he  cried,  "you 
needn't  to  kick  so  hard;  you  needn't  to,  shorely,"  as 
he  rubbed  his  shin. 

"  I  was  afraid  you  wouldn't  stop  for  a  small  kick," 
observed  the  peddler. 

"Oh,  golly!  I  ain't  a-goin'  to  run,  I  ain't,  massa," 
declared  Pompey,  coming  back  to  huddle  deprecat- 
ingly  under  the  rick. 

"No;   1  don't  think  you  will,"  said  the  other;  "and 


150      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

if  you  did,  I  could  easily  come  up  with  you,  if  there 
were  miles  between  us." 

"  Massa  he  got  such  a  very  long  leg,"  said  Pompey 
in  still  greater  discomfiture,  "he  just  like  the  debbil 
after  a  body." 

The  peddler  took  this  compliment  coolly,  and  in- 
dulged in  a  smothered  laugh  under  cover  of  the  dark 
ness,  presenting  an  unmoved  countenance  in  the  sharp 
gleam  of  lightning  that  followed. 

The  negro  burrowed  deep  in  speechless  fright  within 
the  rick,  and  shook  again  worse  than  before. 

"You  must  remember,  Pomp,"  began  the  peddler  in 
a  reassuring  tone,  "that  you  are  now  in  his  Majesty's 
service,  a  fact  that  should  make  you  proud  as  Luci- 
fer." 

"I  donno  who  Loosifer  is,"  grumbled  Pompey, 
"and  I  don't  care  fer  the  Majesty;  I'd  druther  be 
back  at  Mis'  Butterfield's.  Oh,  wheel  I  wisht  I 
never  lef  her  an'  Massa  Abner." 

"Pomp,"  cried  the  peddler  sternly,  springing  up  to 
a  sitting  posture  so  suddenly  that  he  nearly  overthrew 
the  darkey  who  was  bunched  up  in  a  heap  rubbing  his 
big  hands  together,  "do  you  know  you  could  be  de- 
livered over  to  the  strongest  hand  of  the  law,  that 
would  land  you  in  a  prison  where  you'd  never  see 
daylight  again?  Not  to  care  for  your  king,  his  Maj- 


AN  UNUSUAL    CONFERENCE.  I$I 

esty,  is  treason  —  treason!  Lucky  for  you  that  I 
don't  deliver  you  up  at  once  to  have  your  head  cut 
off." 

Pompey's  eyes  stuck  out  till  they  could  protrude  no 
farther  ;  and  as  the  peddler  made  an  involuntary  move- 
ment, he  cried,  "Don't  kick,  massa,"  —  protecting  his 
shin  with  both  black  hands,  —  "golly,  don't  massa, 
an'  I'll  do  just  everything  you  say." 

"  See  that  you  do ;  and  there  is  no  more  talk  about 
deserting  your  king,  and  going  to  serve  these  rebels," 
commanded  the  peddler,  settling  back  into  his  easy  at- 
titude. "You've  started  with  me  now  in  his  Maj- 
esty's service,  and  there  is  no  drawing  back.  Well, 
now,  to  begin  with,  you  know  where  I  found  you, 
Pomp." 

"Yis,  yis,  massa,"  said  the  negro  with  a  groan  of 
remembrance  which  he  speedily  changed  to  a  hee- 
hee;  "down  in  the  wood-lot  a-cuttin'  out  the  ole 
bresh. " 

"  Quite  correct.  That  was  —  let  me  see  "  —  said  the 
peddler  reflectively,  "  last  week ;  and  I  gave  you  some 
money,  you  remember." 

"Yes,  sir,  yes,  sir,"  said  the  negro.  "Thankee  sir, 
thankee,"  bobbing  his  head. 

"Well,  that  bound  the  bargain,  as  we  say;  that  is, 
you  have  had  pay  for  accepting  service  for  his  Maj- 


152      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

esty.  So  you  see  you  can't  back  out  without  awfu. 
punishment." 

"'Twas  such  a  little  money,"  said  Pompey,  squirm- 
ing all  over;  "only  a  shillin',  massa." 

"It  doesn't  make  any  difference  what  the  sum  was," 
said  the  peddler  with  a  return  of  sternness.  "Take 
care,  Pomp." 

"Oh,  yes,  sir  —  oh,  wheel     Yes,  sir,  thankee,  sir." 

"Well,  and  then  I  came  again,  you  remember,  that 
was  yesterday  —  or  have  you  forgotten,  eh?  " 

"No,  sir,  no,  sir,  I  done  'member;  an'  I  was  in  the 
wood-lot  agin." 

"What  a  good  Pompey  it  is,"  remarked  the  peddler 
pleasantly;  "and  I  gave  you  some  more  money." 

"Only  another  shillin' — oh,  thankee,  sir,  thankee." 

"And  that  bound  you  again;  so  you  see  you  are 
bound  twice,  fast  and  long,  strong  and  hard.  Really, 
Pomp,  if  you  should  attempt  to  run  away  now,  I  don't 
know  what  would  become  of  you." 

"I  ain't  a-goin'  to  run,  massa;  oh,  golly,  I  ain't!" 
cried  the  negro,  creeping  up  in  abject  terror  to  his 
companion.  "Keep  the  dreadful  things  from  coming 
after  me  an'  cotchin'  me,  massa." 

"I  can't,"  said  the  peddler  coldly.  "If  you  take 
it  into  that  thick  head  of  yours  to  give  me  the  slip 
at  any  time,  I  could  catch  you  as  easy  as  I  can  touch 


AN  UNUSUAL    CONFERENCE.  153 

you  now."  He  sent  out  his  long  and  supple  fingers 
to  close  them  around  the  darkey's  wrist. 

"Oh,  golly,  massa,  how  they  pinch!  Oh,  wheel 
Massa  think  my  arm  thick  as  my  head  —  ee!" 

"Just  as  I  can  touch  you  now,"  repeated  the  ped- 
dler, releasing  the  negro's  arm,  "so  I  could  catch  you 
'f  you  tried  to  run.  But  I  want  to  save  you  from  the 
punishment  that  would  be  yours  for  trying  any  such 
game." 

"Massa  needn't  be  'fraid, "  said  Pompey,  his  teeth 
chattering  in  his  head;  "  fer  I'll  stick  to  him  just  like 
a  burr.  'Deed,  an'  I  will,  massa." 

"Very  well.  Now,  seeing  that  you  understand  the 
matter  thoroughly,  why,  we  can  progress  with  our  con- 
versation. Only  first  I  want  to  refresh  your  memory 
a  grain  more.  You  know  when  I  saw  you  yesterday  I 
made  an  arrangement  for  you  to  meet  me  to-night 
down  in  the  wood-lot  again  as  soon  as  it  was  dark. 
The  storm  favored  us,  and  you  came  a  little  earlier 
than  I  had  dared  to  hope." 

"Yes,  massa;  but  I  didn't  think  I  wasn't  a-goin' 
back." 

"What's  that?" 

"Oh,  nothin',  massa,  nothin'  'tall!"  said  Pompey, 
ducking  animatedly. 

"Well,  now  that  your  memory  is  jogged  up,  we  will 


154      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

leave  our  starting-point,  and  proceed  to  our  conversa- 
tion. To  begin  with,  Pomp,  you  know  Captain  James 
Barrett  very  well,  you  said." 

"'Deed  an'  I  do,  massa;  alwus  know'd  him  since 
I  live  in  this  yere  town;  an'  that's  a  many  years." 

"He's  a  very  important  person  hereabout,  I  be- 
lieve, eh?  " 

"  What's  that  ar?" 

"He's  one  of  the  best  men  here,  and  makes  people 
do  as  he  says?  "  explained  the  peddler. 

"'Deed  an'  he  do,  sah.  Capen  James  he  have  a 
way  with  him,  they  just  got  to,  sah." 

"And  he  keeps  a  loc  of  things  that  the  soldiers  use, 
I  suppose,"  said  the  peddler,  —  "bullets  now,  and 
guns  most  likely,  and  maybe  gun-carriages,  eh?  " 

"There  you're  right,  massa.  He  make  those  things, 
Capen  James  do.  Oh,  he  awful  smart !  " 

"Well,  let  us  see.  He  keeps  things  to  eat,  most 
likely,"  observed  the  peddler, — "oatmeal  and  pork 
and  rice,  eh?  —  and  maybe  more?  " 

"Golly,  massa,  'twould  make  your  eyes  stick  out  to 
see  'em  all ;  the  corn  chamber's  full,  and  the  south 
barn,  an'  " — 

"  And  there  is  another  person  who  greatly  interests 
me  in  this  town,"  said  the  peddler.  "Among  many 
interesting  characters,  I  must  say  you  possess  a  few 


AN  UNUSUAL    CONFERENCE.  155 

of  remarkable  claim  to  my  regard.  I  refer  to  Mr. 
Ephraim  Wood." 

"Massa  Wood  awful  smart,  he  are,"  rejoined  the 
negro,  bobbing  his  head.  "He  live  up  t'other  end 
of  the  town." 

"  I  happen  to  know  his  residence,"  said  his  compan- 
ion dryly.  "  I  was  up  there  practising  my  vocation 
a  few  days  ago,  and  had  the  honor  to  have  his  dwell- 
ing pointed  out  to  me.  Well  now,  Pompey,  does  Mr. 
Wood  come  down  to  talk  with  your  Captain  James 
very  often,  do  you  know  ?  " 

"He  ain't  my  Capen  James,"  contradicted  Pomp; 
"Mis'  Butterfield's  my  capen." 

"Was,  you  meant  to  say.  Well,  we  won't  split 
hairs.  Captain  James  is  one  of  the  fathers  of  the 
town.  Does  he  meet  Mr.  Wood  very  often  to  have 
long  talks?  " 

Any  reference  to  hair  always  made  the  negro  mad ; 
so  now  he  sat  gloomily  silent,  not  daring  to  exhibit 
any  further  displeasure. 

"I  asked  you  a  question,  Pompey,"  said  the  ped- 
dler, with  a  significant  movement  of  his  long  right 
leg. 

"  Don't  kick,  massa.  Oh,  golly !  Mercy,  don't 
kick!  I'll  tell,  I'll  tell.  Yes,  sah;  he  do,  sah;  a 
great  many  times,  sah." 


I $6      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Goon" 

"Once  when  I  was  down  to  the  capen's,  Mis'  Butter- 
field  sent  me  fer  "  — 

" Never  mind  what  you  went  for." 

"  An'  Mis'  Barrett  warn't  in;  an'  I  went  along  th' 
entry,  an'  I  heard  the  capen  an'  some  one  a-talkin'  — 
but  'twarn't  Mr.  Wood  that  ar  time,  'twas  Mr.  Whit- 
ney, sah." 

"And  you  heard  what  they  said?  "  cried  the  peddler. 

"  Couldn't  help  it,  sah.  Mis'  Barrett  warn't  there, 
an'  I  couldn't  go  home  without  what  Mis'  Butterfield 
had  sent  me  fer.  She  told  me  to  get  some  "  — 

"  Yes,  yes,  that  will  do,"  interrupted  the  peddler  im- 
patiently. 

"  You  told  me  to  talk,  massa,"  said  Pompey. 

"  But  I  want  you  to  tell  things  that  I  want  to  hear." 

"  Massa  do  ask  sech  a  lot  o'  questions,"  said  the 
negro  discontentedly,  and  scratching  his  wool. 

"What's  that?" 

"  Oh  !  nothin'  —  nothin'  't  all,  massa.      Hee-hee!  " 

"  You  were  going  to  tell  me  what  you  heard  those 
two  gentlemen  talking  about."  The  peddler  bent  his 
dark  eyes  full  upon  the  round,  black  face  clearly  dis- 
closed in  the  fitful  lightning  gleams  that  every  now 
and  then  illuminated  the  heavens.  The  fury  of  the 
storm  was  somewhat  abated;  but  it  still  thundered  a 


AN  UNUSUAL    CONFERENCE.  157 

sullen,  persistent  roar,  and  the  rain  showed  little  sign 
of  holding  up.  "  Now  begin  at  once." 

"  They  said  they  warn't  a-goin'  to  buy  no  more  tea." 

"  Anything  else  ?  " 

"  An'  that  they'd  fight;  they  wouldn't  be  slaves.  I 
member  that  ar',  'cause  white  men  ain't  slaves." 

"  What  did  they  say  about  fighting  ? "  asked  the 
peddler  eagerly.  "  Remember,  now.  Be  careful ;  you 
know  what  I  told  you." 

"  Yes,  sah,  yes,  sah.  Well,  they  said  fer  one  thing 
that  they  never  should  submit, — that's  the  word,  I 
know  fer  shore,  'cause  I  kep  a-sayin'  it  over  an'  over 
arterwards,  —  they  never'd  submit  to  the  disrageous 
commands  of  the  king." 

"Outrageous,  you  mean." 

"Yis,  sah,  yis,  sah,  I  said  so;  an'  they'd  fight  fer 
their  liberties,  and  they'd  git  ready." 

"Ah,  they  would?" 

"Yis,  sah." 

"Cuffee,  do  you  believe  the  men  in  this  town  would 
really  fight?  "  The  peddler  asked  the  question  explo- 
sively, as  if  quite  beyond  his  volition. 

"My  name  ain't  Cuffee,"  said  the  negro,  in  a  dudg- 
eon, "it's  Pompey,  sah." 

"Well,  then,  Pompey,  or  Snowball,  or  whatever  you 
choose,  do  you  really  believe  they  would  fight?  " 


158      A    LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"I  really  think  massa  might  give  a  man  his  right 
name,"  said  the  negro  sullenly;  "I  ain't  no  snowball, 
an'  I  don'  wanter  be  called  one." 

"That's  a  fact,"  exclaimed  the  peddler,  bursting  into 
a  laugh.  At  this  cheerful  sound,  the  first  that  had  en- 
livened the  meeting,  Pompey  showed  all  his  ivories, 
of  which  he  had  a  goodly  supply,  and  grinned  till  his 
mouth  might  be  said  to  almost  meet  behind  his  ears. 
When  he  had  finished,  his  sullen  fit  had  quite  disap- 
peared. 

"Well,  now,  Pompey,  I  don't  blame  you  for  wanting 
your  own  name,"  said  the  peddler;  "and after  this,  I'll 
observe  great  care  to  see  that  you  get  it,  when  we  are 
talking  together,  at  least,  and  it  is  quite  convenient. 
And  we  feel  better  now,  I  think,  and  more  acquainted, 
after  that  little  laugh.  Well,  now  to  business  again. 
I  will  ask  my  question  once  more;  please  pay  atten- 
tion, and  not  oblige  me  to  repeat  it.  Do  you  think 
the  men  of  this  town  would  ever  fight,  or  would  they 
run  away?" 

"  Do  you  mean  fight  the  wicked  Bloody  Backs,  sah?  " 

"  What?" 

Pompey  never  could  tell  whether  it  was  the  thunder 
that  roared  so,  nor  what  hit  his  shin  with  such  a  horri- 
ble force,  for  he  didn't  see  the  long  right  leg  move 
from  its  place.  But  he  was  rubbing  the  place  affected 


AN  UNUSUAL    CONFERENCE.  159 

by  the  explosion,  he  knew,  with  quick  hands,  the  tears 
streaming  down  his  face,  and  hearing  the  peddler  say, 
"  Never  let  such  words  pass  your  black  mouth  again ;  " 
so  he  could  form  a  private  opinion,  though  not  pub- 
licly expressing  it. 

"Would  they  fight  his  Majesty's  troops,  think 
you?  "  asked  the  peddler  searchingly. 

"  Yis,  sah,  they  would.  O  Lord !  'taint  my  fault, 
massa,"  cringed  the  negro,  now  thoroughly  frightened, 
and  beginning  to  blubber  outright. 

"  Stop  that,  you  idiot ;  you'll  not  be  hurt,  if  you 
keep  a  civil  tongue  in  your  black  head  for  your  king 
and  his  soldiers.  So  they  would  fight,  eh,  and  not 
run  away  —  sure  ?  " 

•'Run?"  exclaimed  Pompey,  and  brushing  off  the 
tears  from  his  cheek  with  the  back  of  one  black 
hand.  "  You  don't  know  'em,  sah.  Run  ?  " 

It  was  enough  to  hear  the  tone,  and  the  peddler 
forbore  to  question  further.  When  he  spoke,  it  was 
in  a  careless  way,  and  on  quite  a  different  sub- 
ject. 

"Well,  now,  Pomp,  I  don't  suppose  you  know  any- 
body around  here  of  the  name  of  Parlin." 

"Deed  an'  I  do,  sah,"  cried  Pompey,  with  a 
chuckle.  The  turn  of  the  conversation  was  quite  to 
his  liking,  and  he  became  communicative  again. 


160     A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Why,  that's  the  name  of  Miss  Debby,  that  ar  is, 
hee-hee." 

"Miss  Debby?"  repeated  the  peddler  carelessly; 
"I  presume  you  mean  Deborah." 

"Yis,  yis;  Mis'  Butterfield  she  call  her  Deb'rah, 
but  she  not  like  her  much.  But  Massa  Abner,  he  call 
her  Debby. " 

"  Does  this  Massa  Abner,  as  you  call  him,  like  her, 
then?  "  queried  the  peddler,  still  without  the  slightest 
appearance  of  interest,  but  rather  as  if  the  whole 
thing  bored  him. 

"No,  sah,  but  he  lubs  her  to  'straction;  she's  his 
sweetheart,  Miss  Debby  is." 

"Ah?" 

"But  I  donno's  she  keers  so  very  much  fer  him," 
said  the  darkey ;  "  I  donno,  sah,  I  heerd  tell  that  she 
laugh  at  him.  But  Miss  Debby  cain't  help  a-laughin', 
she  cain't,  no  more'n  a  bird  can  help  a-flyin'  an' 
a-singin'.  Miss  Debby's  alwus  a-laughin'  an'  a-sing- 
in',  an'  the  little  hole  in  her  cheek  keeps  comin'  in  an' 
out.  My!  but  don't  Massa  Abner  set  by  her,  though." 

"I  suppose  Miss  Debby  favors  the  king,  and  is  a 
good  Loyalist,"  said  the  peddler,  after  a  pause. 

"What  that  ar?" 

"  She  feels  that  the  king  is  right,  and  ought  to  be 
obeyed." 


AN  UNUSUAL    CONFERENCE.  l6l 

"Miss  Debby  feel  that  ar?" 

"Yes." 

"O  good  Laws  a  gracious,  Miss  Debby  ud  fight  like 
pisen  if  a  redcoat  come  into  this  town.  I've  heerd 
her  say  a  many  times,  how  she  wished  she  could  fight 
'em  herself,  an'  she  meant  to  when  the  war  came. 
Everybody  here  would  fight,  but  Miss  Debby  would 
be  the  worst  of  the  hull  lot." 

"The  storm  is  over,  I  think,"  exclaimed  the  ped- 
dler suddenly.  "  Get  up,  Pomp,  we  must  make  good 
travelling  between  now  and  morning."  He  sprang  to 
his  feet,  and  stepped  out  into  the  night,  with  an  im- 
perative gesture  motioning  the  negro  to  go  before. 


1 62      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD 


XI. 

"WE   ARE    WELL    MATCHED." 

THEY  travelled  two  or  three  miles  in  silence, 
Pompey  not  daring  to  grumble  aloud,  but 
ejaculating  "O  Laws  a  massy,"  under  his  breath  every 
minute  or  so  as  he  stumbled  on  by  the  side  of  the 
long  legs  getting  over  the  ground  so  evenly.  The  rain 
had  now  entirely  ceased,  the  clouds  giving  way  quickly 
to  a  bright  starlit  sky.  The  air  was  sweet  and  fresh 
with  that  resinous  quality  pervading  a  wood-section 
after  a  smart  shower,  and  all  nature  gave  out  balmy 
odors  that  to  an  untroubled  mind  would  have  pro- 
duced peace  to  a  remarkable  degree.  It  was  impos- 
sible, from  his  imperturbable  manner  and  expression, 
to  tell  what  the  peddler  thought  as  he  tramped  on; 
certain  it  is  that  his  companion  was  a  good  remove 
from  placidity. 

At  last  they  came  to  an  abrupt  halt.  "Your  legs 
aren't  in'  as  good  marching  order  as  mine,  I  take  it, 
Snowball,  I  mean,  Pompey,"  observed  the  peddler, 
"so  we  will  stop  here  a  bit  and  rest." 


"WE  ARE    WELL  MATCHED."  163 

"  'Deed  an'  they're  not,  massa,"  grunted  the  darkey, 
too  sore  in  every  bone  to  notice  the  slip  in  his  name ; 
and,  without  waiting  for  further  invitation,  he  sank 
to  the  ground  and  began  to  nurse  his  feet. 

The  peddler  cast  his  pack  aside,  and  threw  him- 
self lightly  beside  him,  plucking  up  some  tender 
checkerberry  leaves,  which  he  meditatively  chewed, 
and  then  became  lost  in  thought. 

Suddenly  he  lifted  his  head,  and  his  jaws  were 
set.  "  Get  up,  Pomp,"  he  commanded ;  and  the  negro 
felt  himself  dragged,  without  ceremony,  back  from 
the  roadside  to  a  thicket,  where  the  hand  on  his 
old  coat  was  removed,  and  he  slid  to  the  ground. 
"  Hist,  don't  move  or  speak,  or  I'll  blow  your  brains 
out."  The  peddler  by  a  swift  movement  threw  open 
his  long  coat  enough  to  let  Pompey  see  a  pistol  end, 
as  a  traveller,  long  and  lank,  was  proceeding  with 
immense  strides  round  a  curve  in  the  road,  directly 
toward  them. 

It  was  well  that  Pompey's  tongue  stuck  to  the  roof 
of  his  mouth  in  fright  at  this  threat,  else  he  surely 
must  have  bellowed  out  in  fright,  "Massa  Abner  — 
Massa  Abner ! "  But  all  was  still ;  not  the  faintest 
echo  of  a  sound  disturbed  the  traveller's  thoughts, 
as  his  long  steps  carried  him  safely  by  the  two  men 
in  the  thicket. 


1 64      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

When  all  danger  of  being  overheard  was  over,  the 
peddler  bent  over  the  negro. 

"Do  you  know  that  farmer  fellow? "  he  demanded. 

"It's  Massa  Abner,"  gasped  Pompey,  putting  up 
both  hands  to  ward  off  a  blow. 

"Get up!  "  Pompey  didn't  wait  to  be  assisted,  but 
found  his  feet.  The  peddler  was  stripping  oil  his 
long  coat.  "Tear  off  your  rags,  and  put  on  this." 
And  the  change  was  quickly  made.  Then  the  black 
man's  old  straw  hat  was  on  the  peddler's  tow-colored 
wig,  but  not  before  it  was  sharply  scanned  to  be  sure 
of  no  distinguishing  marks  to  set  it  apart  from  other 
hats  of  its  kind,  and  the  peddler's  was  on  Pompey's 
white  wool ;  and  as  a  finishing  stroke,  an  immense 
bandanna  was  brought  forth  from  the  pack  at  his 
feet,  by  the  peddler,  who  proceeded  to  tie  up  the 
negro's  face  so  effectually  with  fold  upon  fold,  that 
no  one  could  see  a  feature  of  his  face,  except  two 
black  spots  that  might  be  supposed  to  be  eyes  as 
they  were  in  the  right  places.  The  white  wool  even 
was  effectually  concealed,  as  the  old  black  felt  hat, 
which  was  of  a  generous  pattern,  was  well  drawn 
down  over  it. 

"  It  requires  some  ingenuity  to  dispose  of  these 
pistols,"  observed  the  peddler,  drawing  out  a  brace, 
"so  that  they  will  not  be  intrusive,  until  wanted; 


"WE  ARE    WELL   MATCHED."  165 

however,  I  can  manage  it,  where  needs  must.  Now 
then,  we  are  ready.  Hark  ye,  Pomp,  if  you  open  that 
black  mouth  of  yours  to  utter  a  sound,  I  will  send 
cold  lead  in  you  that  instant.  And  one  thing  more,  if 
you  think  we  went  on  a  canter  before,  you'll  make  up 
your  mind  to  go  on  a  worse  canter  now.  You've  got 
to  keep  up  with  me!  Come  on,  Snowball!" 

Away  went  peddler,  and  away  went  darkey  as  well 
as  he  could,  being  assisted  by  the  peddler's  long  and 
sinewy  arm,  down  the  road  after  the  traveller,  who 
had  by  this  time,  being  blessed  by  such  excellent 
walking  facilities,  gotten  a  good  piece  ahead.  But  at 
last  his  tall  figure  could  be  seen  silhouetted  in  the 
bright  starlight ;  and  although  the  pace  of  the  two 
followers  was  slackened,  they  still  kept  up  a  goodly 
gait,  calculated  to  bring  them  success.  When  this 
was  in  view,  the  peddler  began  to  go  slower.  More- 
over, it  was  imperative,  as  the  puffs  emitted  from  the 
black  man's  throat  were  by  this  time  demanding  at- 
tention ;  so  a  pause  was  indulged  in  for  him  to  secure 
the  necessary  second  wind.  At  last,  however,  they 
joined  the  solitary  pedestrian  with  a  "  Good-evening, 
sir,"  squeaked  out  so  that  Abner  turned  to  the  salu- 
tation. 

"  Good-evening,"  he  said  with  no  show  of  interest 
in  the  meeting,  plodding  on  as  before. 


1 66      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Terrible  rain  that,"  volunteered  the  peddler,  fall- 
ing into  step,  Pompey  on  his  other  side. 

"It  was  so,"  observed  Abner,  as  something  ap- 
peared to  be  expected. 

"I  hain't  met  another  such  in  all  my  tramping," 
remarked  the  peddler,  shifting  his  pack  ostentatiously. 
No  answer. 

"It's  hard  work  goin'  from  pillar  to  post," 
squeaked  the  peddler,  "year  in  an'  year  out,  to 
scratch  up  a  living.  You  fellows  who  own  your 
farms  don't  know  nothing  about  it."  Still  no  an- 
swer. 

"What's  the  next  town  now?"  at  last  he  de- 
manded. 

"Cambridge,"  answered  Abner  shortly. 

"Oh!  likely  place  is  it?  Would  I  sell  much, 
think?" 

"That  you  could  tell  when  you  reach  there," 
said  Abner.  "I'm  sure  I  cannot  say.  Women's 
gewgaws  and  trinkets  ought  not  to  find  a  ready  sale 
when  our  country  is  in  such  distress,"  he  added  bit- 
terly. 

"Oh,  but  I  have  more  things  than  a  few  trinkets 
in  my  pack,"  cried  the  peddler  eagerly;  "those  we 
must  carry  to  please  the  ladies,  and  pins  and  needles 
and  household  things.  But  I  have  also  many 


"WE  ARE    WELL   MATCHED."  l6? 

other  useful  articles,  as  you  shall  see. "  He  stopped 
suddenly,  dropped  the  pack  to  the  ground,  and 
twitched  it  open. 

"See,  see!"  as  he  knelt  beside  it,  and  rapidly 
held  up  one  thing  after  another. 

Leathern  wallets,  cheap  snuff-boxes,  bandanna  hand- 
kerchiefs, comforters,  suspenders,  tobacco-pouches, 
and  a  general  odds-and-ends  collection  of  what 
might  be  termed  the  necessities,  not  to  say  luxu- 
ries, of  that  day.  "  Here  are  many  things  that  you 
ought  to  see  —  cheap.  I'll  sell  'em  cheap."  He 
stuck  out  a  big  green  leather  wallet.  "No?"  as 
Abner  shook  his  head;  "well,  then,  this.  It's 
dirt  cheap — only  a  ninepence;  you  can't  get  it  in 
Boston  shops  lesser'n  a  shillin';"  and  he  tried  a 
tobacco-pouch. 

"  I  want  nothing,"  said  Abner  decidedly,  and 
going  his  way. 

The  peddler  clapped  to  his  pack  in  an  angry  fash- 
ion, and  slung  it  on  his  back.  "  Hard  times  it  is," 
he  said,  "when  honest  folks  can't  get  a  livin'." 

"You  speak  truly,"  said  Abner  gloomily;  "but 
blame  not  us  farmer-folk." 

"  Who  is  to  blame  then  ?  "  squeaked  the  peddler. 

"  Who,  indeed  ?  Ah,  and  can  you  ask  me  that  ? 
Your  travels  through  the  country  have  brought  you 


1 68      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

little  knowledge  that  sharp  wits  might  have  picked 
up,  I  should  think." 

The  peddler  scratched  his  long  straw-colored  hair 
in  perplexity.  "I  go  about  to  sell  things,  not  to  get 
knowledge,"  he  said  with  a  stupid  laugh. 

"  So  I  should  say." 

"And  I  see  farms"  —  he  stretched  his  longhands, 
on  which  were  now  his  old  black  gloves  —  "  in  every 
direction,  and  cattle  and  nice  houses.  Surely  there 
must  be  money  and  plenty  of  it.  Whew !  but  I  wish 
I  had  one  of  these  homes !  " 

"  And  how  long  are  we  sure  of  these  homes  ? " 
cried  Abner,  in  a  burst  of  bitterness.  "  In  a  mo- 
ment, in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  maybe,  all  that 
a  man,  and  his  father  and  grandfather  before  him, 
have  toiled  to  earn  and  to  save,  may  be  swept 
away  at  the  behest  of  a  tyrant  king." 

"  Eh  ?  "  the  peddler  gazed  at  him  vacantly. 

"  And  all  for  what  ?  "  cried  Abner,  careless  whether 
or  no  he  had  a  good  listener,  now  that  the  pent-up 
emotion  had  found  utterance.  "  Because,  forsooth, 
we  have  been  obedient  to  our  God  and  our  king 
—  because  we  have  obeyed  his  Majesty's  slightest 
wish,  and  given  him  the  allegiance  our  consciences 
told  us  was  right.  Ay,  more,  we  went  beyond  the 
letter  of  the  law  — we  obeyed  in  the  spirit;  and  we 


"WE  ARE    WELL  MATCHED."  169 

trusted  him  and  the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain 
to  do  the  right  thing  by  the  Colonies.  How  have 
we  been  rewarded  ?  By  oppression  and  obloquy  and 
scorn;  all  our  charter  and  natural  rights  trampled 
down.  Our  ports  have  been  stopped  up  — •  look 
at  Boston  Harbor;  we  have  been  taxed  without  the 
privileges  of  all  tax-payers  in  a  civilized  land;  and 
now,  after  untold  tyranny,  we  are  met  with  this  last 
proof  of  the  perfidy  of  the  king  and  his  ministers." 

"  What  is  that  ? "  asked  the  peddler  with  open 
mouth. 

"  The  Act,  the  Act,  man,  —  where  have  you  been  not 
to  know  it?  —  by  which  our  officers,  appointed  by  the 
vote  of  the  people,  are  put  out,  and  their  places  filled 
with  officers  of  the  king's  choosing,  or  that  of  his  min- 
ions. This  makes  us  nothing  but  slaves,  and  reduces 
us,  and  our  children  after  us,  to  bondage.  Nothing 
now  remains  for  us  but  death  or  freedom." 

"  Would  yo\.\  fight  ?  "  asked  the  peddler  drawing  near, 
and  bringing  out  the  word  in  a  long-drawn  syllable  of 
astonishment. 

"Fight?  Ay,  that  we  would  1"  replied  Abner. 
u  Fight?"  he  threw  out  his  long  arms  and  clinched 
his  hands.  "  Pray  God  it  may  come  soon,  and  the 
world  will  see  how  we  will  fight.  We  will  fight  as  a 
man  does  who  has  nothing  to  live  for  unless  he  can 


I/O      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

win.  We  will  fight  so  that  those  we  love  better  than 
life  may  live  in  freedom  and  safety." 

"  I  s'pose  now  you're  thinkin'  of  your  wife  an'  chil- 
dren," said  the  peddler  meditatively. 

"I  have  no  wife,"  said  Abner  shortly.  The  hot 
color  rose  to  his  brown  cheek,  and  he  stalked  on  im- 
petuously. 

"That  so.  Well  now,  I  got  ten  —  I  mean  children," 
said  the  peddler ;  "an'  my  wife  she  finds  it  hard  work 
to  get  along,  I  can  tell  you,  an'  me  trampin'  round  the 
country  to  scratch  up  a  livin'  for  all  of  us.  It's  mighty 
hard  I  tell  you,  mister." 

Abner  walked  straight  ahead,  lapsed  in  gloomy 
thought,  and  for  some  moments  neither  spoke.  At 
last  the  peddler  began. 

"  I  sold  a  lot  o'  things  in  Concord  Town,  but  then 
the  folks  are  rich  there  !  My  gracious  !  but  it's  a  nice 
town.  If  I  hadn't  got  my  trade,  I'd  bring  my  wife 
and  children  an'  settle  down  there  myself.  Be  you 
goin'  far  ? " 

"  A  short  piece,"  said  Abner  curtly,  with  a  manner 
that  invited  no  further  questioning. 

"  Yes,  they're  awful  rich,"  continued  the  peddler, 
shifting  his  pack  again.  "  Here  you,  Simons,  s'pose 
you  just  carry  this  thing  a  spell  now ;  it's  your  turn. 
Rim's  my  partner,"  he  volunteered,  as  he  slung  the 


"WE   ARE    WELL   MATCHED."  I /I 

pack  over  on  Pompey's  back ;  "  we've  tramped  it  to- 
gether for  years  now.  An'  sometimes  we  each  takes 
a  pack  an'  goes  about  country,  but  this  time  we  left 
t'other  pack  in  Boston  Town.  Gosh  an'  Jerusalem  !  " 
he  stretched  his  long  arms,  "  ain't  I  glad  to  get  red 
on  that  tarnal  thing !  Have  a  chaw,  mister  ?  "  He 
twitched  out  a  chunk  of  tobacco,  and  held  it  out 
invitingly. 

Abner  shook  his  head,  and  plodded  on. 

"  Be  you  'quainted  up  to  Concord  Town  ? "  asked 
the  peddler,  breaking  the  pause. 

"  Somewhat,"  answered  Abner. 

"  I  s'pose  you  don't  happen  to  know  a  fellow  named 
Butterfield  now,  do  you  ?  " 

Abner  did  not  reply  for  a  minute,  till  the  peddler 
repeated  the  question. 

"Yes,  I  know  such  a  person,"  said  Abner.     • 

"  Well,  what  sort  of  a  fellow  is  he,  anyway  ? " 
asked  the  peddler. 

"Oh,  I  always  thought  he  meant  well  enough," 
answered  Abner. 

"  Rich,  maybe  ?  "  asked  the  peddler  insinuatingly. 

"  No  ;  he's  poorer'n  a  good  many  there.  Rich  ?  how 
can  a  farmer  be  rich  who's  ground  down  to  the  earth ; 
who  has  to  put  a  mortgage  on  his  farm,  and  nothing 
to  pay  the  interest  with  ?  Rich  ?  I  tell  you,  the  peo- 


1/2      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCOXD    TOWN. 

pie  are  rich  only  in  one  thing,  and  that  is,  love  of 
freedom." 

"Well,  now,  p'raps  this  man  Butterfield, — •!  heerd 
talk  of  his  bein'  a  likely  sort  of  a  fellow,  —  might  git 
his  mortgage  off,  an'  be  a  risin'  citizen,  ef  he  only 
knew  which  side  his  bread  was  buttered  on." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  thundered  Abner. 

"I  mean  jest  what  I  say.  I've  tramped  around 
country  so  I've  picked  up  a  few  things  that  are  o'  use 
to  some  folks,  maybe,  if  they  ain't  to  me  ;  an'  if  I  hain't 
got  book  learnin'  and  the  idees  you  have  in  your 
head,  I  know  a  thing  or  two,  maybe." 

"  Explain  yourself,  if  you  can,"  cried  Abner  in  con- 
tempt. 

"Well,  I  heerd  yist'day,  or  maybe  'twas  longer  ago," 
said  the  peddler  composedly,  "that  there  was  a  mighty 
good  chance  for  a  young  farmer  like  they  said  he 
was,  to  come  back  to  his  allegiance  to  th'  king  if  he'd 
been  lively  the  other  way  ;  an'  if  he  did,  why  he'd 
git  his  house  an'  lands  saved  free  to  him,  beside  bein' 
on  the  winnin'  side,  an'  " — 

"  Hold  your  dastardly  tongue  !  "  cried  Abner  in  an 
awful  voice,  and  squaring  up  before  the  long  figure 
of  the  peddler,  "or  I'll  knock  you  into  kingdom 
come  ! " 

"  Why,  I  hain't  said  anythin'  about  you,"  exclaimed 


"WE  ARE    WELL   MATCHED."'  1/3 

the  peddler  coolly,  "  I'm  a-talkin'  'bout  that  Butterfield 
they  told  me  of"  — 

"  How  dare  you  speak  of  the  king's  tyranny  being 
the  winning  side,"  cried  Abner,  all  his  usually  slow 
blood  racing  in  a  fury  in  his  veins.  "  And  it's  an 
insult  to  mention  one  of  the  men  of  Concord  Town 
as  sunk  so  low  as  to  think  of  turning  his  back  on 
honor  and  truth." 

"P'raps  this  Butterfield  chap  don't  think  as  you  do," 
insinuated  the  peddler,  facing  him  unmoved. 

"He  does  —  he  does.  They  all  think  alike,"  cried 
Abner,  in  a  passion;  "that  is,  all  but  two  or  three, 
who  are  confessedly  traitors,"  and  his  face  darkened. 

"Well,  stranger,"  said  the  peddler,  with  a  triumphant 
smile,  "there's  where  you  are  wrong.  You've  got  one 
man  in  your  town,  for  I  see  you  are  a  Concord  cit'zen, 
who's  been  a  rebel,  dark  and  bitter,  but  who  has  just 
come  out  strong  for  the  king." 

"  Name  him,"  commanded  Abner,  with  glittering 
eyes,  and  coming  dangerously  near. 

"John  Parlin." 

"You  liel  "  Abner  made  a  rush,  but  the  long  arms 
kept  him  back. 

"  Softly,  softly  there,"  said  the  peddler.  "  No  man 
tells  me  that  to  my  face  without  he  gives  me  satis- 
faction. You  must  fight." 


174      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Willingly,"  cried  Abner,  in  a  white  heat,  and 
stripping  off  his  coat  and  waistcoat.  Pompey,  stand- 
ing like  a  statue  whenever  they  paused,  now  groaned 
within  the  folds  of  his  bandanna,  and  wrung  his 
hands. 

The  peddler  cast  his  eyes  quickly  on  all  sides. 
"We  shall  be  more  to  ourselves,  though  as  yet  we 
ain't  troubled  with  folks  passin',  in  this  pleasant  busi- 
ness," he  squeaked,  "if  we  get  beyond  that  grove. 
Come  on,  Simons,  you  ain't  in  this,  but  you  can  look 
on.  Now,  I'm  agoin'  to  do  the  square  thing,  stranger, 
an'  jest  have  a  knock-down  with  our  fists,  bein'  as  you 
an'  I  ain't  neither  o'  us  armed.  Be  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Abner;  "but  I  have  some  fists  that  you 
will  see  are  able  to  avenge  insults." 

"  Here  we  be,"  said  the  peddler  in  great  satisfaction, 
as  they  reached  the  spot,  Abner  with  his  coat  and 
waistcoat  over  his  arm ;  and  with  a  sudden  move- 
ment he  quickly  divested  himself,  behind  a  tree,  of  his 
outer  garments,  which  he  laid  carefully  at  the  roots. 
Pompey  got  behind  some  bushes,  where  he  continued 
to  wring  his  hands  and  groan  without  intermission. 

The  two  men  gazed  at  each  other  a  moment  as  they 
rolled  up  their  shirt-sleeves.  They  were  just  of  a 
height ;  but  where  not  an  ounce  of  flesh  that  could  be 
spared  to  grace  and  beauty  of  outline  was  to  be  ob- 


"WE  ARE    WELL   MATCHED."  1/5 

served  on  the  peddler,  on  the  young  farmer  the  frame 
carried  more  weight  beside  that  of  brawn.  Yet  he  had 
the  muscular  arm  and  the  fist  of  a  deadly  foe.  The 
black  eyes  gazed  into  the  flashing  blue  ones,  and  the 
pedler  forgot  to  squeak,  as  he  said,  "  Lay  on,  stranger!  " 

For  the  first  few  minutes  the  negro  didn't  dare  to 
look  out  of  his  covert.  All  he  was  conscious  of  was 
the  regular  breathing,  the  thud,  thud,  of  the  blows 
and  the  stamp  and  straining  of  the  feet  against  the 
ground,  like  that  of  angry  animals  when  in  combat. 
But  at  last,  as  he  became  accustomed  to  the  sounds, 
he  ventured  a  frightened  glance,  to  acquaint  himself 
with  the  progress  of  the  fight.  If  Massa  Abner  would 
only  kill  the  debbil,  or  his  emissary,  whom  he  was 
sure  that  his  companion  must  be,  he  would  be  well 
content  to  witness  an  even  worse  battle.  But  all 
Pompey's  terror  was,  with  the  intimate  acquaintance 
he  possessed  of  Abner's  antagonist,  that  the  combat 
must  end  the  other  way.  And  what  with  his  stabs 
of  remorse. at  letting  his  own  Massa  Abner  be  slain, 
and  his  perils  that  he  ran  from  any  interference,  the 
negro  was  in  such  a  pitiable  plight  that  he  soon  was 
reduced  to  a  mere  quaking  body  of  terror,  unable  to 
render  any  assistance,  had  he  decided  to  give  it. 

But  after  a  few  moments  of  this  sort  of  work,  the 
combatants  stopped  suddenly,  drew  off,  and  looked  at 


176      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

each  other.  Pompey  gave  a  great  gulp  of  joy,  and 
the  tears  ran  down  his  black  cheeks,  soaking  the 
bandanna  drawn  over  his  mouth. 

If  the  debbil  wasn't  to  be  killed,  at  least  Massa 
Abner  was  safe,  as  Pompey  said,  over  and  over  to 
himself,  in  excess  of  thankfulness,  "They've  done  got 
done  now  for  shore." 

But  there  was  a  tightening  of  band  and  girth,  that 
proclaimed  other  plans  on  the  part  of  the  combatants. 
And  the  drawing  in  of  the  breath,  and  the  setting  of 
the  jaw,  as  well  as  the  flashing  eye,  showed  that  the 
truth  was  the  contest  had  but  just  begun. 

"We  are  well  matched,"  said  the  peddler. 

"Yes,"  said  Abner,  through  his  set  teeth;  "you 
may  know  how  to  parry  better,  but  I'll  hold  on  longer, 
for  I've  something  to  fight  for." 

"  Are  you  ready?  "  asked  his  antagonist  briefly. 

"  Yes,"  said  Abner;  and  the  fight  was  renewed. 

Pompey  must  have  lost  consciousness  about  this 
time,  as  he  huddled  on  the  ground,  in  abject,  witless 
fright.  When  he  came  to  himself,  and  was  conscious 
of  the  stage  in  the  affair,  the  two  men  were  wrestling. 
The  muscles  of  their  arms  stood  out  like  whipcords, 
as  they  swayed  back  and  forth  in  a  deadly  embrace. 
The  ground  was  torn  up  and  stamped,  and  worn  for  a 
large  area,  as  one  or  the  other  dragged  his  contestant 


"  WE  ARE    WELL  MATCHED."  177 

from  his  position.  Pompey  even  imagined  he  could 
see  blood  dripping  from  nose  and  mouth,  as  occasion- 
ally he  obtained  a  glimpse  of  the  strained  visage, 
every  nerve  alive  to  victory,  the  flashing  eye,  and 
locked  jaw,  of  each  adversary.  At  last  the  labored 
breathing  of  the  panting,  struggling  combatants  be- 
came so  distressing  to  hear,  that  the  negro  thrust  his 
black  fingers  in  his  ears,  and  the  sight  being  so  dread- 
ful, he  covered  up  his  eyes,  so  that  he  lost  the  ending 
which  now  could  not  be  much  longer  delayed.  The 
peddler  by  a  dexterous  twist,  and  with  a  lightning  ra- 
pidity of  action,  was  achieving  what  mere  strength 
could  not  do,  and  Abner — •  "O  Lord !"  cried  Pompey 
—  Abner  was  falling  with  a  heavy  thud  to  the  ground. 

The  peddler  drew  off,  and  folded  his  arms,  and 
looked  at  him  ;  for  Abner's  eyes  were  open,  and  he  was 
by  no  means  in  that  condition  that  required  help.  He 
was  simply  a  fallen  hero. 

"We  are  well  matched,"  said  the  peddler,  his  heav- 
ing bosom  attesting  his  struggle.  "  I  could  never 
have  beaten  you,  I  will  frankly  say,  had  I  not  been 
acquainted  a  little  better  with  the  rules  of  wrestling," 
and  came  forward  and  stood  over  his  foe,  whose  great 
frame  he  gazed  at  in  admiration,  and  offered  his 
hand.  "  Let  us  call  it  even,"  he  said. 

But  Abner's  eyes  were  fastened  on  his  antagonist's 


I?8      A  LITTLE  MAID  OF  CONCORD    TOWAT. 

head.  Quick  as  a  flash,  the  peddler's  hand  sought 
the  spot  toward  which  the  gaze  was  directed,  to  meet 
his  own  waving  locks,  the  long  straw-colored  wig 
lying  at  some  distance  on  the  ground,  where  it  had 
been  thrown  in  the  thick  of  the  battle. 


ABNEK   ACCOMPLISHES  HIS  MISSION.      179 


XII. 

ABNER   ACCOMPLISHES    HIS    MIS.SION. 

"  r  INHERE  is  small  use  in  attempting  to  deny  that 
-i-  for  purposes  of  my  own  I  chose  to  assume  a 
disguise,"  said  the  peddler,  with  a  slight  smile.  "Well, 
you  are  a  brave  man,"  and  his  face  dropped  back 
again  into  its  grave  expression.  "Will  you  shake 
hands  ? " 

But  Abner  got  up  to  his  feet.  "You  beat  me," 
he  said  slowly,  "  in  a  fair  fight.  I'm  not  ashamed 
to  own  that  I  like  you,  and  you  took  no  mean  advan- 
tage. But  you've  said  words  that  are  an  insult;  and 
you  are,  I  believe  from  my  soul,  an  enemy  to  all  my 
poor  struggling  countrymen,  and  an  adherent  to  that 
tyrant,  King  George.  I  cannot  take  your  hand." 

"  As  you  will,"  replied  the  other  curtly ;  "  the  time 
will  come  when  you  will  be  glad  to  have  me  offer 
you  my  hand,  —  sooner  than  you  think,"  he  added, 
with  rising  anger. 

"And  now  permit  me  to  go  upon  my  way  without 
company,"  said  Abner,  resuming  his  outer  garments. 


I  SO      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"I  have  the  pleasure  to  wish  you  good-night."  He 
strode  off  into  the  night,  not  with  the  ill-temper  of 
a  defeated  man,  but  as  carrying  a  deeper  hurt  in 
his  soul,  harder  to  bear  than  any  personal  misfor- 
tune, and  was  soon  lost  to  the  view  of  his  late 
travelling  companions. 

"Well,  Pompey,"  —  the  peddler  had  resumed  his 
straw-colored  wig,  trusting  to  chance  and  to  the 
negro's  terror,  that  the  mishap  of  its  displacement  had 
not  been  observed  in  that  quarter,  —  "  our  friend  and 
your  late  employer  seems  to  have  gotten  the  worst  of 
that  encounter.  On  my  soul,  I  wish  I  had  dealt  him 
some  harder  whacks,"  his  ill-temper  gaining  on  him. 

Pompey  had  evidently  noticed  nothing,  being  far 
beyond  wigs  and  such  trifles,  and  his  teeth  chattered 
as  he  tried  to  speak. 

"We  will  give  him  a  chance  to  stretch  his  legs  well 
toward  Cambridge  Town  before  we  start  on  our  journey 
thither.  Of  a  truth,  this  young  fellow  is  spared  to  see 
greater  sorrow  than  this  night's  defeat  has  brought 
him.  He  will  wade  in  blood,  I  fear,  before  long,  and 
most  ineffectually  spilt,  if  ever  it  comes  to  the  fight, 
as  he  thinks  it  will.  But  pshaw!  what  fool's  non- 
sense is  this!  These  country  bumpkins  will  never 
raise  a  rifle  nor  draw  a  sword.  It  is  all  well  enough, 
forsooth,  for  them  to  con  their  tales  by  the  fireside, 


ABNER   ACCOMPLISHES  HIS  MISSION.       l8l 

and  believe  they  are  ready  for  war.  But  war — what 
do  they  know  of  it?  Poor  innocents  ! " 

So  he  ruminated,  lost  in  thought,  and  oblivious  of 
Pompey's  presence.  When  at  length  a  sufficient  time 
had  elapsed  to  give,  in  his  judgment,  the  right  start 
to  his  late  opponent,  the  peddler,  for  so  we  must  con- 
tinue to  call  him,  since  he  has  given  us  no  right  to  de- 
scribe him  by  any  other  name,  rose  from  the  ground 
where  he  had  thrown  himself,  and  commanding  his  com- 
panion to  do  likewise,  took  up  the  pack,  and  struck 
off  down  the  road  toward  the  town  of  Cambridge. 

Abner,  with  head  bent  down,  and  the  air  of  a  man 
lost  in  sorrowful  thoughts,  went  swiftly  on  his  way. 
That  he  had  missed  Tory  Lee  at  his  own  home  on 
account  of  the  lateness  of  the  hour,  was  not  to  be  laid 
to  his  inefficiency;  and  that  his  horse,  which,  after 
Debby's  tale,  he  had  hurried  out  and  saddled,  leaping 
to  its  back,  and  riding  hastily  off  to  the  Tory's  resi- 
dence, and  then  away  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  to 
the  Cambridge  road,  should  rear  in  a  mad  fright  at 
a  blinding  lightning  flash,  plunging  into  a  gully,  was 
certainly,  again,  his  misfortune,  and  not  his  blunder. 
Poor  Dobbin  had  gone  lame  at  the  mischance;  and 
Abner  had  left  him  at  the  nearest  farmhouse,  and 
set  forth  on  foot  for  the  remainder  of  the  distance, 
vowing  to  himself  that  he  would  track  Tory  Lee,  at 


1 82      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

any  rate,  although  he  was  denied  by  fate  the  power 
to  stop  him.     Then  he  met  the  peddler. 

Who  this  person  was,  and  why  thus  disguised, 
Abner  did  not  at  present  bother  his  head  about.  It 
was  a  time  when  many  new  and  strange  people  were 
shifting  into  view;  and  in  the  presence  of  the  low- 
hanging  cloud  of  war,  the  mind  was  callous  to  their 
effects.  What  was  knotting  Abner's  honest  brow 
and  clinching  his  brown  hands  as  he  strode  on,  was 
this  fellow's  mention  of  John  Parlin's  name.  Of 
course  it  could  mean  nothing.  John  Parlin  was  as 
stanch  a  patriot  as  any  in  Concord  Town.  Imagine 
Debby's  father  —  and  the  hot  flush  again  rose  to  the 
young  man's  face  — -  being  any  but  a  thorough-going 
patriot,  who  would  die  for  his  country,  if  need  be,  but 
never  give  up  to  a  traitorous  thought !  Why,  Abner 
had  heard  him  many  a  time  raising  his  voice  in  town- 
meeting  in  that  slow,  deliberative  way  of  his,  that  was 
all  the  more  effective  when  used  to  impress  zealous 
sentiments,  urging  the  citizens  to  stand  by  their  rights, 
and  not  consent  to  be  further  ground  down  under  the 
tyrant's  heel.  And  how  well  he  remembered  that 
Debby  had  quoted  in  her  pretty  way,  often  and  often, 
with  loving  pride,  what  father  had  said  as  being  the 
end  of  the  matter,  that  if  only  followed,  would  lead  on 
to  victory  and  freedom.  Oh  !  now  how  bitterly  he 


ABNER   ACCOMPLISHES  HIS  MISSION.      183 

regretted  that  he  had  not  been  able  to  punish  this 
insulting  fellow  as  he  deserved  —  one  of  King  George's 
dastardly  minions,  who,  because  he  had  the  knowledge 
of  the  tricks  of  the  game,  had  beaten  him  in  the  wres- 
tling. Abner  knew  in  his  heart  that  his  combatant's 
statement  was  perfectly  true,  and  that  courage  and 
strength  had  been  well  matched.  It  was  gall  and 
wormwood  to  his  sore  heart  now  to  reflect  that  the 
fellow  who  had  uttered  the  lying  statement  concerning 
Debby's  father  had  been  spared  the  lesson  of  the 
farmer's  good  right  fist,  that  should  have  felled  him 
to  the  ground. 

It  was  the  early  morning  twilight  when  Abner  en- 
tered the  town,  and  betook  himself  where  he  knew  he 
could  get  some  glimpse  of  the  man  who  had  gone  to 
warn  the  members  of  the  Council  against  the  prepara- 
tions to  resist  that  were  being  made  in  his  own  town, 
and  the  temper  that  was  rapidly  possessing  his  own 
townsfolk.  And  at  last,  after  some  hours,  he  found 
himself  standing  in  the  shelter  of  near-by  build- 
ings, to  be  soon  rewarded  by  a  sight  of  Tory  Lee 
emerging  from  the  dwelling  of  one  of  the  most  prom- 
inent of  the  Council,  who  stood  upon  the  steps  of  the 
mansion,  profuse  in  his  appearance  of  gratitude  and 
satisfaction  at  the  interview.  The  horse  of  Tory  Lee 
was  then  brought  around  to  the  door;  and  with  more 


1 84      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

satisfaction  expressed  on  both  sides,  the  Concord  man 
vaulted  into  the  saddle,  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  and 
struck  into  the  turnpike  leading  to  his  home.  Abner, 
having  thus  got  all  that  it  was  possible  to  acquire, 
also  started  homeward,  bu-t  on  foot. 

"  Why  ? "  Debby  woke  up  with  a  start,  and  stared 
at  the  bed  tester  of  brown-and-white  linen,  on  which 
remarkable  pictures  of  stage-coach  trips,  village 
merrymakings,  and  men  on  prancing  steeds,  greeted 
her  eyes.  Then  she  gazed  at  her  hands,  or  rather 
the  bundles  that  adorned  each  wrist,  and  it  all  came 
back  to  her. 

"Mrs.  Butterfield!"  she  called. 

That  good  woman,  with  a  throb  at  her  heart  at  the 
sound  of  the  young  voice,  dropped  her  dish-pan  with 
a  clatter  in  the  sink,  and  hurried  to  look  into  the  rosy 
face  and  the  eyes  dewy  with  slumber. 

"Well,  I  never!"  she  ejaculated  in  great  satisfac- 
tion. "  If  you  hain't  slep' ! " 

"What  time  is  it?"  asked  Debby,  raising  herself 
to  lean  on  the  elbow  of  the  big  "nigown."  "Oh  !  I 
hope  it's  not  late,  because  mother  told  me  to  come 
early." 

"It's  ten  o'clock,"  said  Mrs.  Butterfield,  "if  'tis 
a  minute.  But  never  mind,"  as  Debby  sprang  from 


ABNER  ACCOMPLISHES  UJS  MISSION.      185 

the  bed  with  a  dismayed  little  cry,  "your  ma  wouldn't 
expect  you  if  she  knew;  an'  you  must  git  a  good  break- 
fast first.  I've  kep'  it  hot  for  you  down  by  the  fire." 

"But  she  doesn't  know,"  said  the  girl,  dressing 
rapidly.  "Oh!  I  mustn't  stop,  Mrs.  Butterfield; 
thank  you  so  much  for  keeping  my  breakfast  hot. 
I  must  get  home  as  quick  as  I  can." 

"Drat  that  black  Pompey,  he  ain't  at  home  this 
morning.  Where  can  he  have  gone  ? "  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Butterfield.  "I've  screeched  and  screeched  till  I've 
most  split  my  throat,  and  no  more  good  than  to  call 
the  dead.  He's  took  too  much  cider,  I'll  be  bound, 
somewhars,  and  has  stayed  to  sleep  it  off.  Now  I 
depended  on  his  turning  up  this  morning,  and  I'd  'a' 
sent  word  to  your  mother.  If  there  was  only  a  team 
going  by  now."  She  ran  to  the  window,  as  she  had 
run  forty  times  before  that  morning  for  the  same  pur- 
pose; for  the  mother's  secret  worry,  if  she  should  find 
out  before  her  arrival  home  that  her  daughter  had  not 
passed  the  night  at  Miliscent  Barrett's,  weighed  heav- 
ily on  the  good  woman's  heart.  "Well,  if  you  won't 
stay  to  eat  a  bite,  you  must  take  some  breakfast  and 
eat  it  on  the  way;"  and  she  pressed  some  doughnuts, 
a  piece  of  pie,  and  some  fried  ham  and  potatoes,  done 
up  in  a  clean  old  towel,  into  Debby's  hands,  which 
were  now  undone  from  their  bandages,  and  after  a 


1 86      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

hurried  inspection  were  pronounced  wonderfully  bet- 
ter. "Which  is  all  owing  to  that  opodeldoc  —  sup- 
posin'  I  hadn't  'a'  made  you  have  it  on,  child!" 

"Good-by,"  said  Debby,  bending  down  over  her 
bundle  of  breakfast,  and  putting  out  her  pretty  lips; 
"you've  been  so  good  to  me,  Mrs.  Butterfield,  I  can't 
thank  you." 

"  You  pretty  creetur,  you ! "  exclaimed  the  good 
woman,  highly  gratified ;  and  she  opened  her  motherly 
arms,  and  gathered  the  girl  in.  "  I  wish  you  was  here 
always,  Deborah,  I  do.  Now  if  you  only  could  "- 

"Oh!  I  must  hurry,"  cried  Debby,  in  a  fluster; 
"mother  is  in  a  worry,  you  know." 

"  Oh,  dear  me  !  if  there  was  only  a  team,"  cried  Mrs. 
Butterfield  again ;  and  stepping  out  after  her  on  the 
flat  door-stone  to  scan  up  and  down  the  road,  "that's 
just  the  way !  never  is  one  when  you  want  it,  and  when 
you  don't,  always  a-clatterin'  round.  Something  like 
men,  teams  is;  can't  put  your  fingers  on  'em  when 
they  could  be  of  use,  and  la!  when  nobody  wants  'em 
round,  there  they  be.  Well,  good-by, "  she  shouted, 
for  Debby  was  already  nearly  out  of  sight  at  the  turn 
in  the  road.  "  It's  a  mercy  that  the  Barretts  would 
s'pose,  of  course,  that  Deb'rah  had  gone  home  last 
night,  or  there'd  be  a  dreadful  piece  o'  work  up  there. 
Well,  I  do  wonder  where  in  creation  the  child  got  her 


ABNEK   ACCOMPLISHES  HIS  MISSION.       187 

hands  so  cut  up;  must  'a'  fell,  and  is  ashamed  to  tell, 
young  folks  is  so  queer.  Well,  I  do  wish  that  she 
and  Abner'd  take  to  settin'  up  in  real  earnest;  she's 
old  enough  now,  and  I  alwus  liked  her,"  for  Mother 
Butterfield  was  not  the  first  one  to  discover  lifelong 
affiliations  that  were  born  of  an  hour,  out  of  the  past 
absolute  chill.  All  this  she  kept  saying  to  herself 
throughout  the  morning  hours  that  now  seemed  so 
dull,  as  if  the  old  brown  house  had  suddenly  all  its 
sunshine  withdrawn. 

Debby,  running  across  lots  to  Miliscent's  to  tell  her 
why  she  had  not  come  back  from  the  errand  to  the 
centre,  saw  young  James,  and  hailed  him. 

"Tell  Miliscent,"  she  began;  but  he  ran  up  to  her, 
crying  out,  — 

"Oh!  where  have  you  been?  Everybody's  looking 
for  you,"  which  meant  his  immediate  family,  as  Mil- 
iscent had  confided  the  fright  only  to  her  own  home 
people. 

"Tell  Miliscent,"  she  said,  "I'm  all  safe,"  and  ran 
on,  to  hear  him  screaming  after  her, — 

"Your  mother's  took  sick;  she's  got  a  fit,  I  guess;  " 
which  sent  the  girl,  with  terror  at  her  heart,  off  like 
the  wind. 

When  she  arrived  at  the  little  cottage  on  the  Old 
Bay  Road,  she  found  every  thing  in  the  direst  con- 


1 88      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

fusion.  The  baby,  usually  the  most  stolid  specimen 
of  placid  content,  was  screaming  lustily;  Debby  could 
hear  him  long  before  she  reached  the  top  of  the 
Ridge.  And  when  she  entered  the  kitchen,  her 
mother,  always  the  one  to  greet  her  eye,  busy  and 
cheerful,  lay  stretched  out  on  the  bed,  just  beyond, 
Debby  could  see  through  the  bedroom  door.  Aunt 
Keziah  was  bending  over  some  mess  stewing  before 
the  fire,  and  the  children  were  sullenly  weeping  in 
the  corner. 

"O  mother!"  cried  the  girl,  rushing  to  the  side  of 
the  bed,  and  burying  her  face  against  the  poor  drawn 
one,  "  surely  you  are  not  worrying  over  me  ? " 

Mrs.  Parlin  raised  her  tearless  eyes,  and  a  sob 
shook  her. 

She  put  her  hand  up,  and  smoothed  Debby's  hair. 
But  she  did  not  smile,  and  she  looked  so  strange 
that  Debby  shivered.  "Dear  mother,"  and  she  com- 
forted her  again,  "  I'm  home  now,  and  father  will 
be  in  soon  to  dinner,  and"  — 

"  Don't  speak  your  father's  name  to  me,"  cried 
Mrs.  Parlin,  her  eyes  flashing,  and  she  sat  up  in 
bed.  "  Remember,  I  command  you ; "  then  she  fell 
back  to  her  pillow. 

Debby  staggered  out  to  the  kitchen,  and  leaned 
against  the  table. 


APNER  ACCOMPLISHES  HIS  MISSION.      189 

"  O  Debby ! "  mumbled  Johnny,  coming  out  from 
his  corner,  "  I  don't  like  that  old  woman ;  send  her 
away  —  old  Miss  Feiton." 

"  She  scares  me,"  said  Doris,  hurrying,  as  fast 
as  it  was  in  her  nature,  to  Debby's  arms.  "  Make 
her  go  home,  sister." 

Debby  mechanically  comforted  them,  and  turned 
her  face  to  Miss  Keziah,  "What  is  the  matter  with 
my  mother  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  can't  tell  the  nature  of  her  disease,  but  she'll 
be  better  when  I  get  some  of  my  herb  tea  down 
her,"  answered  Aunt  Keziah.  "Of  all  times  in  the 
year  not  to  have  any!  and  I  thought  I  had  a  pot- 
ful  at  home.  Put  it's  most  steeped  now,"  —  stirring 
the  mess  with  a  long  spoon,  — "  then  this  will  reach 
the  trouble,  whatever  it  is." 

''I  do  not  wish  her  to  take  it,"  said  Debby  firmly; 
"and  thank  you,  Miss  Keziah,  you  are  very  good  to 
come,  but  now  I  can  do  everything  for  my  mother," 
as  the  children  huddled  closer  to  her,  begging  in 
loud  whispers  that  the  old  woman  might  go  home. 

Debby  hurried,  with  John  and  Doris  at  her  heels, 
to  quiet  the  screaming  baby,  who  kept  his  eyes  as 
if  bewitched  on  the  yellow  face  under  the  big  hand- 
kerchief, and  roared,  without  stopping  to  draw  breath, 
steadily  on. 


IQO      A    LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

Aunt  Keziah  in  much  passion  twitched  off  her 
brewing  mess  from  the  bed  of  coals,  "And  if  you 
had  the  smallest  amount  of  faith  in  this,  the  only 
thing  that  can  cure"  her,"  she  said,  "your  mother 
would  be  well.  Silly  child!  well  —  well-a-day.  The 
Lord  have  mercy  on  you,  and  all  who  doubt  the 
herbs  he  has  made ! "  And  she  went  off,  mumbling 
to  .herself  vigorously. 

The  children  drew  long  breaths  of  relief.  Debby 
had  now  succeeded  in  quieting  the  baby,  but  he 
wouldn't  let  her  put  him  out  of  her  arms.  So  she 
beckoned  to  Johnny  and  Doris  to  follow  her  to 
the  woodshed,  where  out  of  reach  of  the  mother's 
ears  she  might  arrive  at  the  bottom  of  the  truth  of 
this  mysterious  illness. 

But  Johnny  and  Doris  knew  no  more  than  she 
did,  and  by  a  few  well-directed  questions  Debby  soon 
found  this  out.  Then  she  went  back  to  the  mother's 
bed,  the  fat  baby  in  her  arms.  Mrs.  Parlin  lay 
there  dry-eyed,  and  staring  at  the  opposite  wall. 


LEADING  EVENTS.  19! 


XIII. 

LEADING    EVENTS. 

AND  now  Debby  went  no  more  to  Miliscent's  to 
±\-  make  cartridges,  where  the  busy  circle  worked 
day  after  day.  And  affairs  progressed  swiftly  to  the 
great  fulfilment  so  sure  to  come.  And  the  county 
convention  was  held,  of  delegates  from  every  town, 
and  the  fire  of  liberty  burned  brightly,  each  man 
charging  his  spirit  with  fervor,  till  the  whole  town 
was  as  one  family — all  but  the  two  or  three  now 
openly  avowed  as  Tories,  and  shunned  accordingly. 
"  It  is  evident  to  an  attentive  mind, "  rang  out  the 
report  to  this  convention,  "  that  this  Province  is  in 
a  very  dangerous  and  alarming  situation.  We  are 
obliged  to  say,  however  painful  it  may  be  to  us,  that 
the  question  now  is,  whether  by  a  submission  to  some 
late  Acts  of  the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain  we  are 
contented  to  be  the  most  abject  slaves,  and  entail 
that  slavery  on  posterity  after  us,  or  by  a  manly, 
joint,  and  virtuous  opposition,  assert  and  support  our 
freedom.  .  .  .  Life  and  Death,  or  what  is  more, 


192      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

Freedom  and  Slavery,  are  in  a  peculiar  sense  now 
before  us,  and  the  choice  and  success,  under  God, 
depend  greatly  on  ourselves.  We  are  therefore 
bound,  as  struggling  not  only  for  ourselves,  but  for 
future  generations,  to  express  our  sentiments  in  the 
following  resolves;  sentiments  which  we  think  are 
founded  in  truth  and  justice,  and  therefore  sentiments 
we  are  determined  to  abide  by.  ... 

"These  are  sentiments  [the  nineteen  resolves  which 
were  passed]  which  we  are  obliged  to  express,  as 
these  Acts  are  intended  immediately  to  take  place. 
We  must  now  either  oppose  them,  or  tamely  give  up 
all  we  have  been  struggling  for.  It  is  this  that  has 
forced  us  so  soon  on  these  very  important  resolves. 
However,  we  do  it  with  humble  deference  to  the  Pro- 
vincial and  Continental  Congress,  by  whose  resolu- 
tions we  are  determined  to  abide,  and  to  whom,  and 
the  world,  we  cheerfully  appeal  for  the  uprightness  of 
our  conduct.  On  the  whole,  these  are  'great  and  pro- 
found questions.'  We  are  grieved  to  find  ourselves 
reduced  to  the  necessity  of  entering  into  the  discus- 
sion of  them.  But  we  deprecate  a  state  of  slavery. 
Our  fathers  left  a  fair  inheritance  to  us,  purchased 
by  a  waste  of  blood  and  treasure.  This  we  are  re- 
solved to  transmit  equally  fair  to  our  children  after 
us.  No  danger  shall  affright,  no  difficulties  intimi- 


LEADING  EVENTS.  193 

date  us.  And  if  in  support  of  our  rights  we  are 
called  to  encounter  even  death,  we  are  yet  undaunted, 
sensible  that  he  can  never  die  too  soon  who  lays 
down  his  life  in  support  of  the  laws  and  liberties  of 
his  country." 

Such  was  the  spirit  fired  by  town-meeting,  county 
convention,  and  private  assembly  of  citizens  one  with 
another,  that  now  took  possession  of  the  old  town  by 
the  river  of  her  name.  It  was  impossible,  being  given 
over  to  it,  for  the  march  of  events  to  be  other  than 
they  were;  and  September  of  1774  saw  the  entire  com- 
munity aroused  to  the  necessity  of  action,  and  only 
awaiting  the  word  of  command,  to  fall  in.  But  while 
they  held  themselves  in  readiness,  they  were  law-abid- 
ing to  the  last  degree,  and  determined  to  give  no  ex- 
cuse to  the  hot-headed  and  the  reckless,  for  any 
premature  explosion  of  indignation. 

The  vote  recommending  a  "  provincial  meeting,"  to 
assemble  in  Concord  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  October, 
had  also  been  passed  at  the  above  mentioned  county 
convention ;  and  all  eyes  were  looking  forward  to  this 
with  great  hopes  that  their  deliberations  there  to  take 
place  might  afford  some  means  of  relief.  At  all  events, 
the  citizens  would  be  instructed  what  next  steps  to 
take. 

Meantime  John  Parlin  had  not  been  seen  by  the 


194      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

townsfolk,  but  had  so  effectually  disappeared  from 
their  life  that  no  one  could  say  what  the  cause  might 
be,  with  the  exception  of  his  wife ;  and  she  lay  on  a 
bed  hovering  between  life  and  death,  unable  to  tell, 
had  she  so  desired.  And  Debby,  withdrawn  from  the 
life  of  the  village,  and  fastened  in  the  little  cottage 
with  the  children  and  the  sick  mother,  felt  the  days  go 
by  with  stunned  senses,  that  seemed  only  mechani- 
cally to  do  her  bidding.  She  heard,  when  Miliscent 
or  cousin  Simon  or  Jabez  dropped  in,  as  one  or  the 
other  did  daily,  the  common  news  of  the  Centre,  or 
the  last  reports  from  Boston  Town,  as  they  had  gath- 
ered them,  and  then  ran  on  swift  and  sympathetic 
feet  to  give  them  to  her.  And  Abner  came  of  an 
evening,  always  awkwardly,  more  often  silently  asking 
with  his  eyes  to  be  allowed  to  help  her,  than  by  any 
words ;  and  Perces  Wood  in  her  steady  and  mature 
way  would  come  and  move  around  the  little  cottage 
like  any  old  woman,  sending  the  half-fainting  girl  to 
bed,  while  she  kept  house  and  minded  the  children. 
It  was  astonishing  how  they  looked  up  to  her ;  for, 
let  her  speak  never  so  lightly,  and  Perces  had  a 
smooth  voice  that  never  adopted  surprises,  they  im- 
mediately made  it  their  first  business  to  hear  it,  and 
to  do  as  she  said,  obeying  her  a  thousand  times  better 
than  Debby,  who. was  only  "sister." 


LEADING  EVENTS.  1 95 

And  Mrs.  Butterfield  came  at  once,  as  soon  as  she 
heard  of  the  illness,  wild  to  help  her  "  pretty  creeter  " 
(already  destined  in  her  own  mind  to  be  her  Abner's 
wife) ;  but  she  knocked  down  with  her  big  body,  ac- 
customed to  the  freedom  and  breadth  of  her  large 
farmhouse  kitchen,  so  many  things  in  the  little  cottage 
rooms,  that  at  last  she  got  frantic,  and  came  to  the 
conclusion  herself  that  she  was  much  better  away. 

"  And  how  you  ever  do  any  work  in  this  little  tucked- 
up  place,  my  dear,  I  don't  see,"  she  would  say  in  her 
loud  whisper  next  to  the  sick  woman's  door.  And 
Debby  would  run  and  shut  it,  and  try  to  smile 
patiently,  as  she  thanked  her,  till  the  good  woman 
fell  into  despair;  and  one  day  she  clambered  into  the 
wagon  when  Abner  came  to  fetch  her,  saying,  "  I  can't 
come  here  never  no  more,  Abner;  tain't  a  bit  o'  use." 

"What's  the  matter,  mother?  "  asked  Abner,  paling 
at  the  lips. 

"I'm  too  big,"  blurted  out  Mrs.  Butterfield,  slap- 
ping the  ends  of  her  shawl  together  in  her  lap ;  "  I 
warn't  cut  out  for  a  lettle  mite  o'  room;  an'  'tain't 
any  use,  not  a  mortal  bit,  at  my  time  o'  life,  to  try 
to  git  along  in  a  three-inch  corner  when  the  Lord's 
made  such  a  lot  o'  creation.  My !  how  that  girl 
does  it,  Abner,  I  don't  see  ;  but  she  just  slips  round 
as  easy,  an'  lo  and  behold,  the  work's  done.  But  I 


196      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

tell  you  what  I'm  goin'  to  do;  I'm  just  goin'  to  take 
those  children,  Johnny  and  Doris,  home  to-morrow. 
You  may  come  down  an'  git  'em." 

"  That's  a  good  idea,  mother  1 "  exclaimed  the  young 
man;  "why  haven't  we  thought  of  it  before?  " 

"I  don't  know.  I  s'pose  because  the  Lord  only 
gives  just  so  much  common  sense  at  a  time  to  one  in- 
dividooal,"  said  his  mother;  "an'  you  an'  I  hain't  got 
enough  gumption  to  claim  our  share.  Well,  Debby 
says  they  may  come  to-morrow,  so  you  be  sure  to  be 
on  hand  with  the  team  in  the  morning.  She  can 
weather  it  through  with  the  baby,  I  guess.  It's  a 
mercy  he's  got  so  many  teeth;  he  can  eat  quite  like 
folks." 

And  Debby  never  made  any  inquiries,  not  even  of 
Abner,  for  news  of  her  father.  With  that  terrible 
sentence  of  her  mother's  ringing  in  her  ears  night  and 
day,  she  must  hold  her  peace,  and  wait  for  recovery  to 
come  to  the  one  who  alone  could  unfold  the  mystery. 
Better  was  it  for  the  townspeople  to  guess  at  a  cause 
that  had  carried  her  father  away,  than  for  her,  the 
daughter,  to  fan  the  curiosity  of  the  village  by  any 
useless  questions.  Probably  they  would  think  his 
absence  was  all  understood  in  the  family,  and  the 
curiosity  would  soon  die  down.  So  although  her 
heart  was  bursting  with  sorrow  and  dread,  Debby 


LEADING  EVENTS.  1 97 

would  meet  Abner  at  the  door  of  an  evening,  quiet 
and  patient  as  ever,  with  a  face  on  which  there  ap- 
peared to  be  no  unanswered  questions.  And  he  never 
dared  ask  her  aught  of  her  father,  but  feasted  his  great 
brown  eyes  on  her,  feeling  her  never  so  sweet  and 
winsome  as  in  the  gravity  of  her  trouble  and  distress. 
And  so  the  days  slipped  by. 

The  sessions  of  the  two  courts  were  to  be  holden  on 
the  i3th  of  September;  but  a  stormy  meeting  of  citi- 
zens of  the  town  and  neighboring  communities,  on  the 
Common,  the  great  rendezvous  of  the  day,  decided 
that  "  if  it  proceeded  on  in  the  old  way  "  the  sitting  of 
the  court  should  be  allowed  ;  "  but  if  under  the  new 
organization,  they  were  determined  to  prevent  it,  agree- 
ably to  there  commendation  of  the  late  convention ; " 
and  through  their  committee  chosen  from  these  towns 
they  voted,  "as  their  opinion,  that  the  Court  of  Gen- 
eral Sessions  of  the  Peace  ought  not  to  be  opened  or 
sit  at  this  time,"  the  justices  of  the  court  being  waited 
on  to  this  effect.  And  the  court  giving  out  a  written 
declaration,  which  was  read  to  the  assembled  crowd,  it 
was  declared  satisfactory.  This  declared  it  "  inexpe- 
dient to  open  the  court  lest  it  should  be  construed 
that  we  act  in  consequence  of  the  late  unconstitutional 
Act  of  Parliament."  Moreover,  a  promise  was  attached 
that  they  would  "  not  open  nor  in  any  way  proceed  to 


198      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN, 

the  business  of  said  court."  This  all  the  justices 
signed. 

Affairs  were  now  rapidly  crystallizing.  All  persons 
who  favored  the  mandates  or  authority  of  the  new 
or  unpopular  judges  were  marked  men.  The  people 
now  were  in  that  temper  that  confessions  were  drawn 
up,  and  persons  who  had  offended  in  this  way  were 
obliged  to  sign  them.  And  these  confessions  were, 
after  being  read  to  the  public,  published  in  the  news- 
papers, and  scattered  broadcast.  Truly  the  spirit  of 
independence  was  working. 

From  this  time  on,  the  residents  of  the  old  town 
came  together  without  waiting  for  any  special  call. 
"  Eternal  vigilance,"  they  early  concluded,  "  was  the 
price  of  liberty ; "  and  thoroughly  awakened  to  the 
duty  of  watchfulness,  they  did  not  propose  to  be 
caught  napping,  nor  to  let  their  praiseworthy  caution 
outweigh  their  zeal  and  promptitude  in  action.  So 
each  man,  a  "  son  of  liberty,"  obeyed  the  covenant  of 
the  town,  had  a  sharp  eye  for  Tories,  controlling  them 
without  resource  to  mob-law,  and  got  himself,  and 
kept  himself,  ready  for  all  such  action  as  his  coun- 
try should  need  at  his  hands,  whenever  the  time  was 
ripe  and  the  command  given  to  thus  act. 

A  Tory  to  be  watched  was  now  Jim  Haskins:  openly 
bragging  on  the  Milldam,  when  in  his  cups  too  much 


LEADING  EVENTS.  199 

to  observe  proper  caution,  of  his  allegiance  to  the 
king;  so  much  that  the  other  young  fellows  of  the  town, 
polishing  up  their  old  muskets  and  taking  account 
of  stock  of  powder  and  balls,  had  hard  work  to  keep 
their  hands  off  him,  but  were  more  than  once  inclined 
to  treat  him  to  a  coat  of  tar  and  feathers.  But  older 
and  wiser  heads  forbade,  and  the  hot-headed  element 
was  forced  to  submit.  As  for  Abner  Butterfield,  he 
not  knowing  how  much  more  reason  he  had  to  hate  the 
man,  took  special  pains  never  to  meet  Jim,  knowing 
well  that  if  he  did,  one  or  the  other  must  fare  badly. 
And  Jim,  feeling  sure  that  certain  plans  would  result 
to  the  complete  routing  of  his  rival  in  goods  and  es- 
tate, if  not  bring  him  to  an  English  prison  when  the 
king  should  count  up  his  victims  and  his  victories, 
as  there  was  now  not  a  shadow  in  the  young  Tory's 
mind  but  what  that  must  be  the  case,  leered  in  his 
sleeve,  and  thought  he  could  afford  to  wait.  So  the 
two  kept  apart  by  a  tacit  consent. 

One  night  in  early  September  the  sick  woman 
turned  uneasily  on  her  pillow.  All  day  her  eyes  had 
followed  her  daughter  in  a  way  that  Debby  could 
not  shake  off.  And  now.  as  she  took  the  cooling 
drink  for  her  parched  throat,  she  said,  as  she  gave 
the  mug  back,  "I  must  say  something;  it  is  on  my 
mind,  and  I  best  have  it  over  with." 


2OO      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Mother,"  Debby  put  up  her  hand  as  if  to  ward 
off  a  blow,  "  not  to-night,"  she  began. 

"To-night,"  said  Mrs.  Parlin,  with  a. return  of  her 
old  firmness.  "  Debby,  I've  lain  here  day  after  day, 
praying  for  strength  to  tell  it.  I  shall  never  get 
off  this  bed  until  I  do.  Pray  God  to  help  you  to 
bear  it ;  for  bear  it,  my  girl,  you  must.  Debby,  my 
husband,  and  your  father,  is  a  traitor  to  his  coun- 
try. He  declared  to  me,  the  night  you  were  away, 
his  allegiance  to  the  king.  And  he  is  a  Tory." 

With  a  wild  cry  of  despair  Debby  fell  to  the  floor. 
Suddenly  she  arose  and  faced  her  mother.  "  You 
are  dreaming,  or  your  mind  is  clouded,  mother,"  she 
began  gently;  "think  no  more  of  these  things,  for 
you  are  too  ill  to  lie  here  and  meditate  on  them." 

But  Mrs.  Parlin  put  out  her  hand,  now,  alas,  wasted 
and  white.  "Give  me  your  hand,  daughter.  I  solemnly 
swear,"  as  she  felt  the  young  palm,  "  that  your  father 
declared  over  and  over  this  fixed  determination.  Now 
will  you  believe  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Debby.  But  she  could  not  feel  that 
it  was  she,  Debby  Parlin,  who  was  uttering  this  word. 
She  seemed  dead  and  cold,  and  to  have  no  feeling 
or  emotion  of  any  kind.  Truly  she  ought  to  be  stung 
by  the  disgrace  into  a  newer  life,  even  if  one  of 
keenest  agony.  Her  father,  John  Parlin,  a  traitor  to 


LEADING  EVENTS.  2OI 

his  country,  a  thing  for  all  future  generations  to 
scorn  as  too  bad  to  be  mentioned  save  in  terms 
of  blackest  obloquy,  to  be  ever  after  held  up  as  an 
example  of  the  deepest  infamy?  Her  father,  who 
had  held  her  as  a  little  child  on  his  knee,  teaching 
her  to  prattle  out  childish  admiration  for  the  heroic 
deeds  of  his  ancestors  who  had  helped  to  plant  and 
to  save  the  new  country.  Her  father,  who  had  toiled 
every  day  since  she  could  remember,  with  one  aim 
in  view,  and  one  hope  ever  before  him,  —  the  aim 
to  help  that  country  when  she  needed  him,  and  the 
hope  that  the  day  of  resistance  to  the  oppression 
of  the  king  might  come  in  his  time  and  generation. 
Oh,  no !  she  had  been  dreaming ;  and  she  would 
give  her  mother  some  quieting  medicine,  and  put  all 
this  dreadful  thought  aside,  and  get  out  into  the 
fresh  air.  She  was  over-tired,  and  the  room  was 
close.  She  must  get  out  right  away. 

"  I  wouldn't  talk  now,  mother,"  she  heard  herself 
say,  as  she  measured  the  medicine  out  in  the  spoon, 
and  brought  it  with  a  steady  hand  to  the  bedside ; 
"  to-morrow  you  can  tell  me  all  about  it."  And  then 
she  went  out,  climbed  the  Ridge,  and  sat  down  under 
the  silent  stars  to  think  it  all  out. 


2O2      A   LITTLE   MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 


XIV. 
IN   THE   BRITISH   COFFEE-HOUSE. 

A  TORY  —  oh,  hateful  thought!  —  worse  than  if  he 
were  a  criminal,  who  in  a  moment  of  passion 
had  committed  some  crime  for  which  he  must  suffer 
the  penalty  —  he  and  his  family  with  him.  Then  she 
could  envelop  him  with  her  tenderness,  and  so  would 
her  mother  have  done,  Debby  well  knew.  Oh,  how 
that  mother  must  have  suffered,  bearing  the  first 
shock,  and  the  weary  days  and  weeks  when  it  had 
eaten  into  her  sore  heart,  as  she  lay  on  her  sick-bed ! 
Debby  shivered,  and  her  slender  throat  contracted 
convulsively. 

And  of  course  she  must  give  up  Miliscent's  friend- 
ship; for  the  granddaughter  of  that  stanch  old 
patriot,  Captain  James  Barrett,  would  never  speak  to 
a  Tory's  daughter,  much  less  associate  with  her. 
Debby  was  quite  sure  she  never  would.  And  Perces 
Wood  for  the  same  reason  must  be  given  up.  And 
Abner,  oh,  how  he  would  look  at  her  out  of  those 
great  brown  eyes  of  his!  Debby  hid  her  own  for 


IN  THE  BRITISH  COFFEE-HOUSE.          2O3 

very  shame,  and  grovelled  on  the  soft  pine-needles 
in  speechless  misery.  And  all  the  townspeople  would 
point  at  her  mother  and  herself  and  the  children 
with  fingers  of  scorn,  while  every  one  else  was  doing 
brave  things  for  their  country  —  and  Concord  Town 

—  oh,  if  she  were  only  a  man  who  could  fling  him- 
self into  seas  of  blood,  and  peril  life  and  home  and 
family  —  everything,  to  help  put  down  the  power  of 
King  George,   and  to  show  the  old  town  what  love 
of  country  was,  how  her  crushed  heart  would  rejoice 

—  but  now ! 

A  little  noise  in  the  underbrush  startled  her  at 
last.  She  looked  up  and  saw  her  father. 

"I  don't  s'pose  you  want  to  speak  to  me,  Deb'rah," 
he  said,  in  his  slow  way;  "but  I'm  goin'  to  say 
somethin'  to  you,  an'  then  I'm  goin'  for  good." 

"You  better  go  first,"  flung  out  Debby  in  a  hard 
voice,  her  young  face  pitilessly  stern  as  she  raised 
it. 

"I've  thought  it  all  out  many  an'  many  a  time 
when  you  an'  the  rest  o'  the  folks  s'posed  I  was 
satisfied  in  my  mind.  At  night  I  couldn't  sleep  for 
the  worry  of  it,  and  by  day  it  bore  into  my  soul. 
And  when  a  man  thinks  out  a  thing  in  such  a  way, 
and  comes  to  his  conclusion  slowly,  he  has  as  good 
a  right  to  his  opinion  as  anybody  else  has  to  theirs." 


2O4      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"  Father,"  asked  Debby  slowly,  when  he  had  finished, 
and  set  his  mouth  hard  together  in  that  way  that  the 
villagers  meant  when  they  said  "sot  as  a  mule,"  "were 
you  ever  offered  money  to  change  your  opinion,  and 
did  you  take  it  ?  " 

The  man  started  as  if  stung,  and  swore  a  great 
oath,  the  first  his  daughter  had  ever  heard  from  his 
lips. 

"What  do  you  take  me  for?  Money  1  Oh,  my 
God ! " 

"  A  Tory  can  be  taken  for  anything,"  said  Debby 
bitterly. 

"This  hand  of  mine,"  John  Parlin  shook  it  in  her 
face,  "has  never  been  soiled  by  touch  of  anything  I 
couldn't  proclaim  to  the  whole  world.  I  am  not  to  be 
bought.  You  know  that,  girl." 

"I  thought  I  knew  my  father  before,"  said  Debby, 
in  bitter  scorn. 

"I  did  think  of  you  children,"  he  began;  but  she 
interrupted  him  fiercely. 

"  Better  that  your  children  had  not  been  born,  than 
to  have  a  Tory  for  a  father." 

"  Our  king  is  our  sovereign  appointed  by  God,"  he 
burst  out  doggedly.  "  Besides,  any  further  resistance 
by  the  Colonies  is  useless,  and  worse  than  useless. 
Why,  girl,  the  whole  Parliament  of  Great  Britain  is 


7JV  THE  BRITISH  COFFEE-HOUSE.  2O$ 

determined  to  crush  us ;  this  last  act  shows  it ;  there 
was  hope  before,  but  now  there  is  none,  —  they  can 
do  it  as  easily  as  I  could  crush  an  egg-shell." 

"  Father,"  said  Debby  quite  calmly,  all  the  storm 
hidden  in  her  heart,  "some  one  has  been  talking  to 
you  lately,  —  some  one  outside  of  this  town,  —  that  I 
can  see.  Who  is  it?" 

He  shuffled  uneasily  on  his  big  feet.  With  all  his 
obstinacy,  John  Parlin  had  the  heart  of  a  child,  and 
could  be  as  easily  led.  "  That  has  nothing  to  do  with 
it,"  he  said  shortly. 

"  Father,"  Debby  went  up  to  him  and  laid  her 
hand  on  his  arm,  "you  wouldn't  refuse  your  daugh- 
ter, would  you,  when  she  asks  you  such  a  simple 
question?  Father,  just  think  how  you've  always 
told  me  everything  since  you  dandled  me  on  your 
knee." 

The  man  took  a  hungry  look  at  her  face.  "  Debby," 
he  began ;  then  he  broke  off  suddenly.  "  It's  non- 
sense for  you  to  want  to  know.  What  difference  does 
it  make?  I'm  my  own  master,  and  no  one  can  influ- 
ence me.  I've  my  own  mind  to  make  up." 

"  Father,"  said  Debby,  and  her  voice  broke,  "  I 
never  shall  ask  you  anything  more.  And  you  won't 
tell  your  little  girl  this  one  simple  thing,  father;" 
she  hid  her  face  on  his  arm,  and  sobbed. 


2O6      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    yOll'.Y. 

"I  met  a  man  two  or  three  times,"  said  John 
Parlin  slowly;  "and  he  has  put  the  case  to  me 
plainly  as  I  have  never  had  it  in  my  whole  life. 
God  threw  him  in  my  way.  And  he  was  not  a  tar- 
nal  aristocrat  neither;  he  was  as  poor  as  I,  with 
only  his  hands  to  maintain  him;  not  even  a  house 
over  his  head." 

"Who  was  he?"  asked  Debby. 

"A  peddler,"  said  John  Parlin,   "a  poor"  — 

Debby  thrilled  from  head  to  foot.  All  the  scene 
of  her  rescue  flashed  upon  her,  —  the  long,  tapering 
fingers  with  the  exquisite  nails;  the  high  bearing 
and  fine  speech;  the  tones  when  dropped  from  the 
occasional  squeak;  and  the  beautiful  manners,  as  if 
she  were  a  duchess  to  be  deferentially  treated.  Oh ! 
was  this  the  way  to  subjugate  the  high  spirit  of  the 
Colonies,  to  send  out  disguised  serpents  to  lure 
their  patriots  to  destruction  ?  The  open  field  and 
the  chance  of  war,  —  this  was  easy  to  face.  Oh !  if 
she  could  only  have  known  the  truth,  and  charged 
him  with  it,  that  he  might  have  struck  her  down 
in  the  wood.  Better  than  to  live  to  such  calumny! 

"A  peddler !" 

"It  is  no  disgrace,  child,"  said  John  Parlin,  mis- 
taking her  tone,  "  to  consort  with  peddlers.  Poor 
men  are  to  my  liking;  and  they  know  whereof  they 


IN  THE  BRITISH  COFFEE-HOUSE.          2O? 

speak.  This  peddler,  child,  from  his  very  vocation, 
tramping  about  the  country,  gets  at  the  heart  of 
the  truth." 

••  Truth  ?"  cried  Debby  bitterly,  "  O  father  !" 

•'  I  could  hear  from  him  what  I  could  not  have 
tolerated  from  an  aristocrat.  He  hates  them  as 
much  as  I." 

"  Father,"  cried  Debby,  all  in  a  glow  with  right- 
eous indignation,  that  swept  her  as  with  a  torrent, 
"I  have  seen  this  peddler;  I  know — oh!  I  am 
sure  he  is  some  hateful  Englishman  in  disguise; 
he  "  — 

"There  is  where  you  are  wrong,"  declared  John 
Parlin  obstinately,  and  using  a  favorite  phrase  of 
his;  "the  man  whom  I  saw  is  not  disguised;  he 
never  could  be,  and  cheat  me.  He  was  just  what 
he  was.  You  have  ever  been  apt  to  jump  at  con- 
clusions, daughter,  and  to  imagine  things." 

"  But  in  this  case  I  am  right,  father,"  she  argued, 
with  the  same  spirit  to  meet  his  own,  which  sent 
him  back  into  his  old  obstinacy.  "  He  had  such 
long,  slim  "  — 

"No  more  —  no  more,"  commanded  John  Parlin 
sharply;  "  I'll  not  have  my  own  daughter  contradict 
me.  The  peddler  that  I  saw  I  could  swear  was  an 
honest  man.  There  are  many  of  them,  no  doubt,  God 


2O8      A    LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

help  them  in  these  limes,  tramping  over  the  coun- 
try. Say  no  more.  You  were  ever  an  impetuous 
little  thing,  Deb'rah,  to  jump  at  things  quickly." 

She  flung  aside  the  reproof  as  a  trifle  not  to  be 
noticed.  "Go  up  and  talk  with  Mr.  Wood,"  she 
said  at  last,  "or  Mr.  Whitney,  or  some  of  those  whom 
you  have  always  said  knew  the  whole  situation. 
Do,  father,"  she  begged. 

But  he  shook  his  head  obstinately.  "  They  are 
intrenched  in  their  own  views;  they  never  talk  with 
outsiders  to  hear  the  truth  about  the  whole  country. 
They  will  plunge  this  town  in  blood,  Deb'rah ; 
blood  —  and  all  spilt  for  nothing." 

Debby  wrung  her  hands.  "Mother  is  very  sick," 
she  said  hoarsely.  "  O  father  !  we  thought  she  would 
die." 

The  man's  face  changed  swiftly.  "  God  help  me," 
he  groaned.  "I've  haunted  this  place,  Debby,"  he 
said,  under  his  breath;  "many's  the  night  I've  watched 
under  these  trees  to  see  your  candle  in  the  window, 
and  you  stepping  about.  Once  when  she  was  the  worst, 
I  almost  went  in.  But  I  knew  that  would  kill  her, 
and  I  kept  myself  back.  Oh,  God  knows  I  wish  I 
could  see  it  all  as  you  do!" 

She  knew  it  was  useless  to  urge  further.  "Where 
are  you  working,  father?  "  she  asked  suddenly,  glan- 


IN   THE  BRITISH  COFFEE-HOUSE.          2<X) 

cing  at  his  hands,  which  showed  a  respite  from  farm- 
work. 

He  evaded  this,  and  said  presently,  "And  now  she 
is  better,  and  I've  seen  you,  so  I  am  best  out  of  the 
way.  Give  me  one  kiss,  daughter." 

For  a  moment  Debby  drew  back.  Then  she  threw 
her  arms  around  his  neck  and  kissed  him  passionately. 
He  strained  her  to  his  breast  with  a  hungrier  grasp 
than  ever  he  had  clasped  her  from  a  little  child,  — his 
first-born ;  then  suddenly  thrust  her  forth,  and  ran  — 
this  slow,  heavy  man  —  out  through  the  trees  and  down 
the  Ridge. 

"Father,  father,"  cried  Debby,  with  empty  arms. 
"Come  back  — O  father"  — 

The  entrance  to  the  British  coffee-house  on  King 
Street,  the  resort  of  the  high  Tories  of  the  town,  gave 
signs  on  the  evening  of  the  2d  of  August  of  the  de- 
parture of  a  guest  of  no  inconsiderable  importance. 
The  landlord  himself  was  on  the  upper  step,  obsequi- 
ously rubbing  his  fat  palms,  and  casting  about  in  his 
fertile  mind  how  further  to  advance  the  comfort  or  the 
welfare  of  a  guest  whose  appearance  and  bearing  be- 
spoke wealth  and  consequence.  The  horses  attached 
to  the  governor's  own  carriage  pawed  the  ground  in 
their  eagerness  to  be  off,  and  shook  their  manes  rest- 


210      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

lessly.  The  equipage  had  been  sent  around  as  a  last 
mark  of  respect,  to  bear  the  personage  now  taking  his 
leave  of  Boston  Town  to  the  wharf  where  he  was  to 
embark.  Rumor  had  it  that  this  Englishman  stood, 
in  influence,  near  to  the  throne  and  Parliament;  he 
was  therefore  naturally  very  close  to  the  regard  of 
Governor  Gage,  with  whom  both  as  governor  and  as 
commander-in-chief  of  the  British  forces  in  America, 
he  had  been  often  closeted  in  conference  during  his 
stay  in  the  Province. 

As  this  person  of  importance  passed  down  the  steps, 
and  was  about  to  place  himself  within  the  carriage,  a 
tall,  slender  figure,  in  the  uniform  of  an  officer  in  the 
service  of  King  George,  came  striding  down  King 
Street.  He  quickened  his  pace,  and  presently  stood 
by  the  side  of  the  older  man,  whose  figure  showed  the 
portliness  of  luxurious  middle  life;  and  the  cordial 
hand-shake  indulged  in,  the  smiles  and  chat  of  famil- 
iar understanding,  told  the  onlooker  that  two  good 
friends  were  about  to  part. 

'•  I  will  render  good  account  of  you,  Bernard,  to 
the  different  members  of  our  family,"  said  the  elder 
man,  as  he  stepped  into  the  carriage,  and  he  pausec 
to  lay  his  hand  approvingly  on  the  young  shoulder. 
"But  best  of  all,  our  king,  God  save  him,  shall  hear 
it  all  to  the  last  word.  I'  faith,  you  may  trust  me." 


IN   THE  BRITISH  COFFEE-HOUSE.          211 

"Spare  yourself  that  trouble,"  cried  the  young 
officer  hastily,  and  his  face  darkened. 

"Tut,  tut,  man,  you  are  too  modest  by  half," 
cried  the  other.  "  The  king  shall  know  it  all. 
You  shall  be  so  intrenched  in  his  Majesty's  favor, 
when  this  paltry  matter  of  the  Colonies  is  settled, 
that  you  can  ask  what  you  will,  only  to  obtain 
it." 

Bernard  put  his  hand  up  hastily  in  protestation ; 
but  the  elder  man  laughed,  gave  the  signal  to  depart, 
and  the  governor's  equipage  rolled  down  King  Street, 
the  admiration  of  all  eyes. 

The  young  officer,  whose  face  now  grew  darker  than 
ever  with  suppressed  dissatisfaction,  paused  a  moment 
to  recover  himself,  then,  with  his  usual  sang  froid,  he 
turned  within  the  hostelry,  to  find  a  gay  company  of 
young  British  officers,  having  a  roystering  time  at  a 
near-by  table,  in  the  middle  of  which  stood  a  steam- 
ing bowl  of  hot  punch. 

"Ha,  Thornton,"  called  one,  as  he  entered  the 
doorway,  filling  his  glass  again,  "here's  to  you! 
Verily,  you  are  a  poor  companion  these  days.  Pray, 
where  have  you  kept  yourself?  Come,  and  drink  con- 
fusion to  these  poltroon  Yankees;"  and  he  tossed  off 
his  bumper  with  a  gay  hand. 

The  young  officer  thus  addressed  put  himself  into 


212      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

the  chair  now  pushed  toward  him,  and  partook  very 
sparingly  of  the  beverage  as  the  toast  was  given. 
Then  he  set  back  his  glass,  and  despite  his  efforts 
to  lend  himself  to  the  conviviality  of  the  hour,  he 
was  soon  becoming  lost  in  revery  as  the  jest  went 
on. 

"Ho,  here!  wake  up!"  at  last  called  out  the  young 
man  who  had  first  spoken ;  an  officer  whose  commis- 
sion ranked  him  as  lieutenant,  but  with  the  eye  of  his 
superior  officers  upon  him  for  his  brilliant  promise. 
"Egad,  by  my  sword,  I  believe  you're  asleep,  Thorn- 
ton. It's  this  beastly  climate  that  is  pulling  us  all 
down;  and  the  Yankees  —  pah!  I  wish  we  could  mow 
them  down  and  end  the  business,  and  get  home  to 
Old  England." 

Thornton  glanced  at  the  gay  flushed  face  and  un- 
steady hand  that  poured  another  full  glass. 

"Best  not,  Harry,"  he  said,  with  a  meaning  look. 
"If  we  want  to  begin  the  mowing  process,  it  needs 
be  that  we  keep  our  heads  cool." 

"I'  faith,  that's  not  necessary!"  spoke  up  a  big 
hulking  officer  of  more  years  than  the  most  of  them, 
interlarding  his  words  with  a  couple  of  strong  oaths; 
"these  farmer  fellows  are  easy  game.  If  I  had  com- 
mand now,  it  would  be  touch  and  go  with  every 
mother's  sen  of  them." 


IN   THE  BRITISH  COFFEE-HOUSE.          213 

"What  a  pity  that  you  haven't  the  command," 
observed  Thornton  dryly,  and  with  a  sip  at  his 
glass. 

"They'd  have  small  chance  to  say  their  prayers 
and  sing  psalms  through  their  noses,"  finished  the 
other,  heedless  of  the  laugh  that  went  around  the 
table  at  his  expense.  "Confusion  to  'em,  say  I, 
and  rot  their  bones!  The  whole  of  their  carcasses 
aren't  worth  one  good  Englishman;  and  the  sooner 
they're  punished  for  their  mad  rebellion  the  better." 

"How  King  George  can  play  along  with  them  in 
this  way  passes  any  belief,"  spoke  up  another.  "  Egad ! 
Buckthorne  is  right.  Extermination  is  the  only  thing, 
if  we  can't  subjugate  them  speedily." 

Thornton  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  laughed. 
"To  speak  of  exterminating  full-grown  colonies  with 
such  power  as  have  these  in  this  Province,  is,  for- 
sooth, food  for  amusement  that  must  be  enjoyed"  — 

"But  if  the  leaders  were  taken  and  hanged  as  they 
should  be,"  struck  in  Buckthorne  angrily,  and  bringing 
down  his  fist  on  the  board  till  all  the  glasses  rang, 
"  I  swear  by  my  soul  these  rotten  old  farmers,  that 
smell  of  their  bogs,  would  all  fall  on  their  mouldy  old 
knees  and  beg  for  any  mercy  that  Parliament  would 
give  them." 

"  I  swear  it  too,  Buckthorne,"  said  the  other  speaker. 


214      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"And  I,  and  I,"  was  taken  up  by  a  half-score  of 
throats. 

"These  rotten  old  farmers,  as  you  are  pleased  to 
call  them,  Buckthorne,"  said  Harry,  as  the  babel  died 
down  and  he  filled  anew  his  glass,  oblivious  of  Thorn- 
ton's appealing  eye,  "  have  considerable  and  whole- 
some vigor,  as  I  could  tell  you,  who  have  chanced  at 
some  of  them,  on  my  trips  to  fill  the  commissary 
orders." 

"  Yes,  to  Concord.  Isn't  there  a  place  of  that  name 
where  you  were  despatched  a  short  time  ago,  Her- 
ford  ?  "  asked  one  of  the  half-score  who  had  yelled 
so  vociferously  a  moment  ago. 

"Ay,"  said  Harry,  nodding  his  bright  head;  then 
he  drained  his  glass ;  "  if  you'd  seen  that  old  town  and 
her  men  as  I  have,  you'd  know  whereof  to  speak 
better  than  the  drivelling  stuff  you've  given  us.  I  tell 
you,  there's  fight  there ;  and  fight  to  the  death." 

"  Hoh !  Pah!''1  breathed  out  the  men  derisively; 
"and  if  they  wanted  to  fight  —  they  must  fight  with- 
out ammunition.  It's  madness  for  them  to  think  of 
it,"  cried  several. 

"  Ay,  ay,"  responded  Harry,  with  an  eye  that  was 
unsteady  and  glistened  unnaturally,  "  that's  it ;  it  is 
madness.  Better  to  have  the  ringleaders  here  in  Bos- 
ton Town  mowed  down  for  their  wild  and  senseless 


IN  THE   BRITISH  COFFEE-HOUSE.          21$ 

rebellion,  than  that  these  poor  villagers  should  be 
slaughtered  like  sheep."  He  pushed  his  glass  away 
abruptly,  and  stared  gloomily  at  the  circle,  who  met 
the  look  with  one  of  surprise. 

"  Herford's  struck  by  one  of  the  village  beauties," 
cried  Buckthorne  coarsely,  at  a  venture.  "  Some 
daughter  of  a  horny-handed  farmer  has  made  love  to 
him,"  coupling  the  words  with  ribald  oaths.  "  Here's 
to  the  damsel  of  Concord  Town  ;  give  us  her  name, 
Herford,"  he  said  with  a  leer.  He  poured  out  a  stiff 
bumper  from  a  bottle  standing  near,  and  called  to  his 
brother  officers  to  do  the  same. 

Lieutenant  Herford  sprang  to  his  feet,  his  hand  on 
the  hilt  of  his  sword,  his  blue  eyes  flashing  danger- 
ously. "  Speak  not  of  any  woman  here,  you  who  have 
mothers  or  sisters,"  he  said  hoarsely,  his  voice  thick 
and  unsteady  with  the  wine;  "your  lips,  Buckthorne, 
are  too  foul  for  such  a  use." 

The  heavy  figure  of  Buckthorne  sprang  to  an  upright 
posture,  as  he  dashed  his  glass  to  the  floor  ;  and  he 
swore  a  great  round  oath,  as  he  put  his  hand  to  his 
sword,  glaring  at  the  handsome  and  heated  face,  that 
before  he  spilled  the  blood  of  the  Yankees,  he  would 
have  satisfaction  for  the  words  just  spoken. 

Instantly  all  the  brother  officers  were  on  their 
feet,  and  the  coffee-house  was  in  an  uproar,  every- 


2l6      A    LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

body  pausing   in   drink   and  speech   to  take  in   the 
brawl. 

"Are  you  mad?"  cried  Thornton,  seizing  the  young 
lieutenant's  arm.  "  Harry,  disgrace  not  yourself  by 
another  word.  Think  of  your  mother." 


PREPARING   AN  ARENA.  21? 


XV. 

PREPARING  AN    ARENA. 

:<TTNHAND  me!"  cried  Harry,  his  flushed  face 
LJ  turning  white  with  rage,  and  shaking  off  the 
grasp  of  his  friend,  while  one  of  the  high  Tories,  as  the 
king's  friends  were  called,  in  the  corner,  with  his  pipe 
and  his  grog,  discussing  the  political  situation  with 
another  of  his  ilk,  roared  out  for  a  messenger  to  be 
despatched  to  the  guard-house  or  barracks,  but  a  short 
distance  away,  for  a  squad  of  soldiery  to  stop  the 
dispute. 

"  By  my  sword,''  he  said,  his  big,  florid  face  suffused 
with  an  irritated  flush,  "  these  young  blades  assert 
themselves  too  noisily  to  suit  my  taste.  Better  that 
they  stay  where  they  belong,  in  the  barracks,  and 
leave  this  place  to  those  who  can  conduct  themselves 
like  English  gentlemen." 

The  landlord,  hearing  this  from  a  quarter  where  sim- 
ilar speeches  had  been  aired,  and  with  no  desire  that 
such  lucrative  customers  as  "  the  young  blades  "  should 
find  other  quarters,  now  deserted  the  bar,  and  joined 


2l8      A    LITTLE   MAID    OF  COXCORD    TOWN. 

himself  to  the  circle  to  which  all  eyes  were  turned, 
where  the  two  disputants,  the  table  between  them, 
were  glaring  at  each  other  like  wild  beasts. 

"  Softly,  softly  there,  young  gentlemen,"  he  began 
in  his  most  conciliatory  tones ;  but  the  roar  of  angry 
voices  told  him  the  quarrel  had  gone  too  far  for  him 
to  prevent,  and  his  rotund  figure  was  thrust  unceremo- 
niously aside  as  the  young  officers  closed  in  around 
the  two. 

"  Stand  back ! "  commanded  Thornton  in  low  but 
passionate  tones  to  them.  "  Buckthorne,  cannot  you 
see  that  Herford  has  taken  a  glass  too  much  ?  Listen 
not  to  words  that  come  at  such  a  time." 

"  He  meant  to  insult  me  !  "  declared  Buckthorne 
sullenly,  himself  too  far  gone  for  reason,  and  glancing 
at  his  comrades  in  a  blustering  way ;  "  and  who  throws 
in  the  teeth  of  Jack  Buckthorne  aught  but  what  he 
can  swallow,  will  have  to  chew  the  consequences." 
He  tapped  the  hilt  of  his  sword  significantly. 

Thornton  controlled  his  choler,  and  was  about  to 
reply  in  a  way  that  would  have  made  all  well,  when 
Harry  drew  his  sword,  and  rushing  toward  Buck- 
thorne, would  have  thrust  him  through  on  the  spot 
had  he  not  been  seized  by  the  two  who  were  nearest, 
his  weapon  spinning  over  their  heads  to  the  flooi 
beyond. 


PREPARING   AN  ARENA.  219 

"  You  braggart,"  he  was  yelling,  "  and  black-hearted 
scoundrel,  take  that !  " 

In  an  instant  some  one  rushed  out  across  the  street, 
bawling  to  the  sentinel  pacing  back  and  forth  on  duty 
before  the  custom-house  ;  and  another,  running  to  the 
corner,  met  a  squad  of  soldiers  on  their  way  to  the 
barracks.  These  latter  stepped  into  the  British  cof- 
fee-house ;  and  as  Harry  seemed  to  be  clearly  the 
aggressor,  they  hauled  him  off  summarily  to  the  guard- 
house. 

The  florid-faced  Englishman  and  his  high  Tory 
friend  returned  to  their  grog  and  pipes  with  great  sat- 
isfaction after  this  diversion  ;  the  former  remarking 
that  now  matters  were  more  to  his  mind,  since  one  of 
the  party  was  by  this  time  well  on  his  way  to  the 
guard-house,  where,  in  order  for  his  complete  pleasure, 
the  remainder  should  have  been  carried.  And  the 
other  frequenters  of  the  tavern,  having  seen  the  thing 
to  the  end,  or  at  least  to  the  quelling  of  the  distur- 
bance, now  took  their  minds  back  to  their  own  affairs. 

"  You  will  not  deny  me  the  satisfaction,  I  presume," 
said  Thornton,  going  around  the  table  to  speak  clearly 
into  the  face  of  Buckthorne,  now  red  with  triumph  as 
well  as  liquor,  as  he  leered  his  great  delight  at  the 
ending,  "  of  measuring  your  sword  with  mine  in  some 
fitting  place,  after  I  tell  you  that  besides  being  a  black- 


22O      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

hearted  scoundrel,  you  are  a  coward,  and  not  a  decent 
companion  for  an  English  officer  to  associate  with." 

The  words  were  low,  and  not  a  person  beyond  the 
circle  of  young  officers  could  hear  them.  Yet  noth- 
ing that  could  possibly  be  uttered  could  strike  such 
dismay  into  one  of  the  group.  Buckthorne's  face 
turned  purple  and  then  a  livid  white.  "You  know 
I  didn't  mean,  —  "  he  stammered  thickly,  —  "didn't 
intend  any  offence,  only  to  scare  the  boy." 

Thornton  stood  silent  and  immovable,  the  picture  of 
scorn,  his  determined  front  adding  new  terror  to  that 
already  possessing  the  big,  burly  man  he  addressed. 
As  the  latter  seemed  unable  to  speak,  one  of  the 
officers,  who  perhaps  had  as  much  regard  for  Buck- 
thorne  as  any,  which  was  not  saying  too  much,  ven- 
tured to  suggest,  "You  know,  Lieutenant  Thornton, 
that  what  you  said  for  your  friend  Herford  might 
apply  here  ;  Buckthorne  is  in  his  cups." 

"Yes,  yes,"  muttered  Buckthorne,  catching  at  the 
straw;  "I  didn't  know  what  I  was  saying;  I  had  taken 
a  drop  too  much." 

"The  case  is  different,  Gardner,  as  you  are  well 
aware,"  said  Thornton  coldly ;  "  the  disparity  in  years 
is  quite  enough  to  make  Buckthorne's  behavior  das- 
tardly. When  I  add,  what  we  all  know,  that  Herford 
cannot  take  what  other  men  can  bear  with  impunity, 


~    o 


PREPARING  AN  ARENA.  221 

and  that  out  of  liquor  he  is  a  gentleman  worthy  of  Old 
England,  whose  soul  of  honor  has  never  been  ques- 
tioned, I  think  you  will,  to  a  man,  bear  me  out  in  pun- 
ishing the  scoundrel  who  has  brought  this  disgrace 
upon  him." 

A  silence  like  the  grave  fell  upon  the  circle.  Buck- 
thorne  did  not  move  a  finger,  only  stared  helplessly 
into  the  face  of  the  man  whom,  he  well  knew,  as  did 
they  all,  it  would  be  death  to  meet  in  a  sword  contest. 
At  last,  after  waiting  what  he  considered  a  sufficient 
time  for  Major  Buckthorne  to  accept  his  proposition, 
Thornton  turned  to  the  others, — 

"  Gentlemen,  you  will  all  be  witnesses  that  I  have 
offered  Major  Buckthorne  complete  satisfaction  for 
my  avowed  estimate  of  him,  and  that  he  has  rejected 
it.  If  any  of  you,  as  his  friend,  desires  to  take  it  up, 
I  will  be  pleased  to  hear  it." 

No  one  replying,  Lieutenant  Thornton  said  with  a 
smile  playing  around  his  thin  lips,  "  I  will  be  glad  to 
meet  you  socially  at  any  time  and  on  any  occasion 
when  Major  Buckthorne  is  not  present.  Now  I  go 
to  the  guard-house  to  report  the  truth  of  the  case, 
and  to  do  what  I  can  for  young  Herford."  Then  he 
turned  on  his  heel,  and  strode  out  of  the  coffee-house. 

And  now  the  number  of  white  tents  of  the  en- 
campment on  Boston  Common  increased  as  if  by 


222      A    LITTLE   MAID    OF   CONCORD    TOWN. 

magic.  The  quarters  in  Faneuil  Hall  were  becoming 
too  largely  occupied  for  comfort,  as  the  British  sol- 
diery were  transported  in  greater  numbers  over  the 
sea  to  re-enforce  the  Governor-Commander-in-Chief 
Gage.  The  rattle  of  musketry,  with  the  fife,  drum, 
and  bugle,  pierced  the  air  of  Boston  streets,  and 
awoke  angry  echoes  in  the  souls  of  her  citizens  that 
the  sight  of  the  swarming  redcoats  was  not  likely  to 
assuage.  The  Town  House  was  now  well  supplied 
with  soldiers,  where  hitherto  had  been  the  Merchants' 
Exchange,  and  the  meeting-place  of  the  judges  and 
the  governor's  council.  A  British  bayonet  seemed  to 
meet  one  at  every  turn,  —  peaceably,  it  is  true,  if  not 
opposed,  —  and  a  British  sentinel  challenged  whom 
he  would.  It  was  a  despotic  Crown  and  Parliament 
that  spoke  in  this  military  display,  the  determination 
to  enforce  the  new  and  obnoxious  laws  that  were  to 
break  the  proud  spirit  of  the  Colonists.  And  twenty 
miles  away,  among  the  farms,  by  a  quiet  river,  there 
was  this  moment  preparing  an  arena  that  should  pro- 
claim aloud  to  a  waiting  world,  God's  determination 
also,  against  which  no  Crown  or  Parliament  could 
contend. 

And  now  the  days  of  petitions  and  memorials  to  the 
Governor,  the  Council,  the  Parliament,  and  the  Crown, 
might  be  said  to  be  over.  All  appeals  that  could  be 


PRF^PARING   AN  ARENA.  2,2$ 

made  and  yet  retain  self-respect,  had  been  presented; 
every  argument,  clear,  forcible,  and  patient,  had  been 
drawn  up  by  the  patriotic  statesmen  of  the  oppressed 
Colonies.  The  spirit  and  temper  of  the  leaders  had 
forced  many  expressions  of  admiration  even  from 
those  who  would  have  been  glad  to  be  avowed  ene- 
mies. No  opportunity  was  there  for  a  deserved  pun- 
ishment to  fall  upon  the  faithful  American  subjects 
of  their  king;  for  they  had  served  him  with  a  loyalty 
that  rose  above  privation,  suffering,  and  oppression. 
Nothing  now  remained  but  slavery.  Instead  of  peti- 
tion to  an  earthly  king,  was  now  a  last  prayer  to  God, 
and  a  preparation  for  armed  resistance.  Action  was 
now  the  word. 

It  became  now  a  necessity  to  Concord  Town  to 
have  the  people  often  assemble  for  counsel  and  de- 
liberation, and  that  interchange  of  patriotic  fervor, 
that  the  spirit  of  liberty  leaping  to  break  its  chains, 
must  communicate  by  its  divine  right. 

They  now  constantly  called  themselves  and  their 
neighbors  together  on  their  Common,  made  decis- 
ions as  to  those  matters  they  deemed  appropri- 
ately arranged  in  such  meetings,  and  forwarded  all 
important  proceedings  to  the  Continental  Congress 
at  Philadelphia,  keeping  in  touch  with  that  body 
with  wonderful  clearness  of  judgment  and  despatch. 


224      A    LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

And  the  struggle  over  the  sitting  of  the  court  that 
was  to  hold  its  sessions  in  the  old  town  on  the  i3th 
of  September,  was  urged  with  such  determination 
not  to  allow  it  unless  it  was  carried  on  in, the  old 
way,  that  the  strenuous  efforts  of  the  committee 
chosen  to  wait  upon  the  judges  with  this  decision, 
won  the  day.  The  written  declaration  from  the 
court  was  read  to  the  people  and  then  published, 
"  declaring  it  inexpedient  to  open  the  court,  '  lest  it 
should  be  construed  that  we  act  in  consequence  of 
the  late  unconstitutional  Act  of  Parliament.' "  And 
then  long-delayed  attention  was  directed  to  dischar- 
ging the  debt  of  obligation  to  the  Tory  element  in 
their  midst,  and  to  all  who  had,  or  were  helping  for- 
ward in  any  way,  the  "  unconstitutional  plan  of  govern- 
ment" proposed  by  King  George  and  his  Parliament. 

It  took  Simon  and  Jabez  both  to  run  up  over 
the  hill  and  down  the  Ridge  to  tell  Debby  of  the 
rousing  big  meeting,  —  "when  we  are  going  for  the 
Tories,  yes,  sir  !  "  —  and  they  wondered  at  the  lack  of 
animation  this  news  elicited,  although  her  eyes  shone 
clear  and  bright  in  her  pale  face. 

"Hush,"  she  said,  drawing  them  out  from  the 
kitchen  where  the  mother  sat  now,  wan  and  spirit- 
less, her  hands  employed  in  sewing,  while  her  thoughts 
were  ever  on  the  one  subject  near  her  heart;  "don't 


PREPARING   AN  ARENA.  22$ 

let  mother  hear  you  say  the  w6rd  '  Tories.' "  She 
closed  the  door,  and  faced  them  in  the  woodshed. 

"Why  not?"  asked  Jabez,  breathless  from  his  long 
run.  "I  sh'd  think  'twas  the  best  med'cine  a  sick 
person  could  have  —  to  know  there's  going  to  be  judg- 
ment come  to  those  fellows ;  shouldn't  you,  Si  ? " 

Simon  grunted  some  inaudible  reply,  taking  his  cue 
from  Debby's  face. 

"Mother's  very  weak,"  said  Debby,  "and  the 
least  thing  upsets  her,  so  you  just  mustn't  do  it, 
boys."  Her  lips  were  set  together  hard,  and  she 
held  the  door  firmly  closed. 

"All  right,"  said  Simon  carelessly.  "Now  she's 
sick,  Aunt  Lyddy's  like  mother ;  we  have  to  pick 
and  choose,  as  you  know,  Debby,  just  what  things 
we  can  talk  about  before  her.  Jabe  and  I  hold 
our  meetings  out  by  the  wood-pile  or  in  the  barn. 
Well,  good-by,  cousin ;  sorry  you  can't  go  to  the 
Common.  This  is  one  of  the  times  you'd  rather 
be  a  boy,  I  expect,"  he  added  saucily,  hoping  to 
rouse  her  old  spirit.  But  she  didn't  smile,  nor 
seem  to  notice  the  remark;  and  the  boys  ran  off, 
their  delight  over  the  approaching  meeting  consider- 
ably subdued. 

"Beats  all  how  trouble  and  work  have  broke  her 
down,"  said  Jabez,  as  they  hurried  along  the  Old 


226      A    LITTLE   MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

Bay  Road  to  the  "Centre.  "I  wouldn't  b'lieve  it 
could  be  Debby." 

Simon  snapped  his  jaws  together  hard.  ''What's 
the  use  o'  talking  about  it?  Of  course  till  Uncle 
John  comes  back,  she  can't  laugh  and  carry  on.'' 
He  was  sorely  put  to  it  to  explain  to  himself  a  cer- 
tain attitude  of  mind  in  his  cousin  that  did  not  seem 
to  be  the  outcome  of  grief  or  worry.  It  was  enough, 
he  kept  arguing  to  himself,  to  break  down  any  girl, 
even  one  so  self-contained  as  Debby,  to  have  the 
double  blow  of  the  father's  sudden  disappearance, 
appealing  as  it  did  to  the  curiosity  of  the  village, 
and  the  mother's  dreadful  illness;  yet  still,  when 
the  arguments  were  all  in,  Simon  felt  unsatisfied  and 
restless. 

"Come  on,"  he  added  roughly,  "or  the  best  of 
the  time  will  be  over  ;  "  which  had  the  effect  to  make 
Jabez  drop  all  other  considerations  save  getting  over 
the  ground  as  speedily  as  possible,  especially  as  he 
had  long  ago  accepted  the  common  theory  now  becom- 
ing settled  in  the  town,  that  the  troublous  times  had 
unsettled  John  Parlin's  wits,  making  him  wander  from 
home  beyond  the  long  and  careful  search  they  had 
given  for  him. 

It  was  a  busy  crowd  that  greeted  their  eyes  long  be- 
fore they  ran  into  its  midst, —  thoroughly  determined, 


PREPARING  AN  ARENA.  22J 

yet  not  turbulent,  knowing  that  full  justice  would  be 
done,  and  the  honor  of  the  old  town  most  thoroughly 
vindicated.  All  testimony  was  in  against  the  offend- 
ers, and  nothing  now  remained  to  be  done,  except,  as 
one  old  farmer  said,  to  "  let  them  know  there  is  a  God 
in  Israel." 

They  were  choosing  a  committee  to  try  the  Tories, 
when  the  boys  arrived,  and  the  excitement  was  at  its 
height.  Suddenly  a  wild  yell  smote  the  air.  Every- 
body started,  and  some  men  grasped  their  muskets  for 
action  if  need  be  ;  for  by  this  time  it  was  becoming 
quite  the  custom  to  take  along  the  firearm  if  one  so 
desired.  It  kept  one  in  practice  by  the  mere  handling 
of  it,  and  suited  well  the  spirit  of  the  day. 

"Forbear  to  use  violence,"  cautioned  some  of  the 
fathers  of  the  town,  always  in  evidence  at  these  meet- 
ings; and  mingling  with  the  crowd,  they  essayed  to 
allay  the  fears  the  sudden  disturbance  had  made.  But 
men's  blood  was  easily  fired  in  those  exciting  days ; 
and  they  looked  in  each  other's  faces  and  waited,  pre- 
pared for  action  when  the  time  arrived.  It  came, 
bringing  not  the  thing  they  feared,  but  something 
quite  different. 

A  man  was  seen  running  down  the  town  centre  to 
the  Milldam  pursued  hotly  by  some  half-dozen  others, 
whose  near  approach  to  their  victim  had  brought  forth 


228      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

the  yell  of  anger  and  despair.  He  fairly  ran  into 
the  heart  of  the  crowd,  panting  and  furious,  and  only 
drew  breath  when  he  felt  it  close  upon  him.  It  was 
Jim  Haskins,  now  universally  spoken  of  as  Jim  Has- 
kins  the  Tory. 

"  I've  come  to  be  protected  !  "  he  cried  in  a  loud 
tone,  and  pointing  a  shaking  finger  at  his  pursuers. 
"  Is  there  any  law  that  will  hound  a  man  for  having 
opinions  of  his  own  ?  " 

"  You've  come  to  a  poor  place,  Jim,"  said  one  of  the 
older  citizens  of  the  town  gravely.  "  In  the  temper  of 
the  time  there  is  not  much  safety  for  one  who  gives 
allegiance  to  a  tyrant,  at  the  expense  of  his  own  towns- 
men. Keep  quiet  until  the  excitement  of  your  pursuit 
has  abated,  then  slip  out  as  quietly  as  you  can,  and 
get  to  your  home.  It  is  the  only  way  to  save  your 
miserable  skin,  I  fear." 

"  They  are  the  ones,"  cried  Jim  in  a  loud,  vindictive 
voice,  again  pointing  to  the  small  band  that  had  pur- 
sued him,  now  quietly  waiting  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
crowd,  having  run  him  to  earth,  as  it  were,  well  con- 
tented to  bide  their  time,  "  who  would  break  the  law 
and  molest  me.  Here  are  the  officers  of  the  town," 
—  he  looked  around  into  their  serious  faces  as  he 
spoke, —  "I  am  safe  here;"  and  he  smiled  defiantly 
at  his  persecutors. 


PREPARING  AN  ARENA.  22C) 

"You  are  safe  not  an  instant,"  said  the  citizen 
sternly.  "Can  you  not  feel  the  righteous  indigna- 
tion, man,  that  is  at  last  to  break  upon  the  heads  of 
all  who,  like  you,  have  turned  traitor  to  their  country." 
He  spoke  with  suppressed  feeling,  but  in  a  low  voice, 
to  avoid  adding  to  the  inflammable  material  around 
him  aught  that  would  hasten  this  man's  doom. 

But  Jim  was  not  to  be  silenced.  And  he  continued 
to  attract  attention  to  himself  by  adjuring  all  persons 
before  him  to  give  liberty  of  speech  and  action  to  the 
individual  who,  like  himself,  chose  to  be  a  most  loyal 
adherent  to  King  George  in  all  his  plans  for  his  sub- 
jects at  home  and  abroad.  So  that  at  last  the  business 
of  the  meeting  was  for  the  time  given  up,  to  make  way 
for  his  loud,  sonorous  speech. 

This  quite  delighted  him,  to  find  that  he  had  at  last 
something  to  say  which  the  people  would  hear ;  and 
he  proceeded  with  a  great  degree  of  confidence  to  a 
louder  burst,  mistaking  the  growing  silence  which  was 
now  pervading  all  the  circle. 

'•Fellow  cit'zens,"  he  cried,  thrusting  out  his  right 
hand  in  the  way  he  admired  in  oratorical  attempts,  yet 
had  never  had  the  opportunity  to  display,  "I  stand  be- 
fore you  to-day  to  say  I  am  proud  to  support  the  king, 
and"  — 

"  Cut  the   miserable  wretch  short,"  cried  a  dozen 


230      A    LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

voices,  that  sent  the  cry  out  from  as  many  different 
quarters;  "and  toss  his  carcass  over  here,"  yelled  the 
waiting  men  who  had  followed  him  to  the  Common ; 
"  we'll  teach  him  what  it  means  to  turn  traitor." 
There  was  at  the  same  time  a  sudden  rush  made ;  and 
the  compact  mass  of  men  trembled  as  if  a  wedge  had 
struck  them  in  a  vulnerable  point,  forcing  admittance 
to  the  centre. 

It  was  all  done  in  a  moment,  but  not  before  Jim  saw 
the  swiftness  of  his  peril ;  and  had  there  been  room,  he 
would  have  sunk  to  his  knees  entreating  mercy.  As 
it  was,  he  seized  and  clutched  and  strained  at  all  those 
who  had  the  misfortune  to  stand  near  him,  making 
the  air  again  resound  with  wild,  incoherent  cries  that 
upbore  the  discordant  yells  of  the  infuriated  crowd. 
They  had  him  at  last,  pulling  and  hauling  several 
along  with  him  in  his  frantic  clutches  of  despair ;  but 
his  captors  speedily  loosened  his  hold  upon  all  such 
and  bore  him  shrieking  off. 


THE  SECRET  MUST  BE   DISCLOSED:'      2$1 


XVI. 

"THE  SECRET  MUST  BE  DISCLOSED  NOW." 

IT  was  a  fearful  moment.  The  crowd  parted  enough 
to  allow  the  strong  hands  seizing  the  unhappy 
man,  to  bear  him  with  a  rush  through  the  howling 
mass  of  men  that  closed  up  and  surrounded  him  and 
his  captors.  It  was  impossible  to  distinguish  his  cries 
for  help,  as  he  was  thus  borne  along  mid  the  yells 
of  "  Horsewhip  him  !  "  "A  tar-and-feather  coat !  "  and 
"The  river  —  To  the  river  with  him!'" 

This  last  cry  prevailed  ;  and  off  over  the  Milldam  the 
throng  swept,  with  small  thought  for  any  in  their  way, 
least  of  all  for  the  comfort  of  the  luckless  wight  in 
their  midst  who  was  at  last  to  taste  the  penalty  of  be- 
ing a  Tory,  and  to  know  what  it  meant  to  turn  against 
his  country  and  his  countrymen. 

In  the  mad  rush  of  the  first  moment,  when  shoulder 
was  knocked  against  shoulder,  and  the  triumphant 
crowd  surged  down  over  the  Milldam  bearing  their 
captive,  it  was  easy  enough  to  drown  the  notes,  stento- 
rian though  they  were,  of  those  in  authority,  left  on  the 


232      A    LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

Common,  commanding  the  tumult  to  cease  and  that 
the  victim  be  released.  But  after  this  first  moment, 
the  voice  of  the  fathers  of  the  town  began  to  be  heard 
with  its  old  insistence  ;  and  one  after  the  other  of  those 
who,  though  not  taking  active  part  in  the  violent 
proceedings,  had  yet  put  forth  no  hand  to  stay  them, 
commenced  to  bestir  themselves  on  the  side  of  law 
and  order.  The  foremost  one  was  a  young  man,  tall 
and  broad  shouldered,  up  to  whose  honest  blue  eyes 
crept  the  flush  of  remorse  at  not  sooner  stepping  into 
action. 

"  For  shame ! "  he  cried  in  ringing  tones,  that 
pierced  like  a  clarion  note  far  over  the  crowd,  and 
made  them  for  an  instant  haste  over  the  road  with  re- 
doubled speed,  so  fearful  were  they  that  he  led  an 
opposing  force.  "  Would  you  thus  deal  with  traitors  ? 
Hold,  and  let  the  law  take  its  course ! " 

When  they,  looking  back,  saw  that  it  was  Abner  But- 
terfield  alone  who  stood  forth  and  thus  defied  them, 
they  shook  their  brown  fists  in  derision,  and  laughed 
triumphantly,  and  rushed  on. 

"  Come  on,  fellow-townsmen  who  do  not  believe  in 
riot ! "  cried  Abner,  all  the  blood  gone  to  his  head, 
and  waving  his  right  arm  in  the  air ;  "  or,  by  Heaven, 
I'll  go  alone."  He  sprang  down  the  road,  and  madly 
plunged  after  the  swift  retreating  crowd,  one  thought 


"  THE   SECRET  MUST  BE  DISCLOSED."      233 

only  uppermost  in  his  heart,  —  to  save  the  screaming, 
struggling  wretch  he  could  now  hear  and  see,  as  the 
throng  tossed  him  up  and  down  as  they  hauled  him 
along. 

It  was  Jim,  —  Jim,  the  hated  rival,  —  the  man  who 
had  insulted  him,  and  who  had  turned  traitor;  but 
perhaps  Debby  had  loved  him,  it  was  impossible 
to  be  quite  sure ;  and  perhaps  Jim  would  turn  back 
to  love  for  his  country,  if  he  could  only  be  kept 
from  drinking.  Then,  if  she  had  loved  him  before, 
she  would  surely  love  him  anew.  At  any  rate,  for 
her  sake  he  must  be  saved,  and  this  blot  kept  from 
the  dear  name  of  his  town.  He  ran,  he  shouted, 
he  plunged  madly  on.  And  at  last,  oh,  blessed  relief ! 
the  sound  as  of  rushing  feet  came  to  his  ears,  and 
the  road  was  full  of  eager,  hurrying  men  swift  to 
follow  his  brave  leadership,  and  the  onslaught  for 
Jim's  liberty  had  begun  in  earnest. 

But  the  maddened  crowd,  seeing  here  a  rescue- 
force  growing  quite  formidable,  suddenly  executed  a 
sharp  detour,  and  deserting  their  original  plan  of  car- 
rying their  victim  to  a  quieter  and  better-adapted 
place  of  vengeance,  now  plunged  down  to  the  river 
bank  with  only  one  thought,  —  to  give  the  Tory  such 
a  ducking  that  if  he  escaped  with  his  miserable  life, 
it  would  be  his  luck.  Fast  on  their  heels  came 


234      A   LITTLE  MAID   Of-    CONCORD    TOWX. 

the  smaller  company  of  rescuers.  And  now,  down 
the  road  followed  the  fathers  of  the  town  in  all  de- 
grees of  haste,  with  determination  and  stern  resolve, 
yet  basing  all  their  hopes  on  Abner  and  his  slender 
force. 

" Quick t  Divide  the  company!  Half  keep  in  the 
rear,  and  close  up;  the  others  come  with  me/"  cried 
Abner  under  his  breath,  the  men  slipping  easily  into 
the  position  of  followers.  None  too  soon.  The  men 
holding  Jim  were  —  one,  two,  three — just  sending  him 
off,  when  a  mighty  onslaught  of  blows,  only  from  the 
fists,  it  is  true  —  but  who  knows  anything  harder 
than  the  Provincial  fist  that  understood  how  to  hit, 
and  when  ?  Down  they  rained,  from  Abner's  little 
company  in  front,  and  from  Abner's  small  crowd  in 
the  rear,  like  sledge-hammers,  crowding,  pushing, 
and  thrusting  the  surrounded  men  into  a  snug  knot 
where  they  could  not  use  their  arms  to  advantage. 
"  Leave  him  go  ! "  roared  Abner,  his  blood  well  up, 
and  feeling  the  eyes  of  all  the  town  fathers  upon 
him,  "  or  we'll  mash  you  to  the  powder  you  deserve 
to  be,  for  bringing  disgrace  upon  this  town." 

To  right  and  to  left  the  men  were  knocked  and 
jostled,  till  there  was  small  hope  of  telling  friend 
from  foe  as  they  struggled  and  kicked  and  fought. 
When  the  confusion  and  smoke  of  the  encounter 


"THE  SECRET  MUST  BE  DISCLOSED."      235 

cleared  off,  no  man  could  say  exactly  how  it  had 
all  taken  place.  Some  were  lying  on  the  ground, 
where  they  had  been  flattened  and  worsted,  and  all 
were  looking  at  Butterfield  bearing  away  down  the 
road  the  Tory  Jim,  such  a  goodly  crowd  supporting, 
as  made  it  useless  to  think  of  any  successful  inter- 
vention. Besides,  here  were  now  the  fathers  of 
the  town  closing  in  on  their  rear  at  the  river  brink 
with  such  solemn  and  determined  intentions  as  made 
themselves  known  at  once ;  and  the  crestfallen  crowd 
oozed  off,  as  many  as  were  fortunate  enough  to  do 
so,  the  rest  being  taken  into  custody  as  ringleaders 
of  a  mob  who  would  put  in  jeopardy  the  good  name 
of  the  old  town,  to  be  dealt  with  as  might  seem 
best  after  a  council. 

"Mother,"  cried  Abner,  his  brown -face  aflame, 
and  his  honest  blue  eyes  seeking  hers  somewhat 
anxiously,  the  truth  must  be  told,  as  he  dreaded 
her  reply,  "here's  Jim,"  dragging  him  within  the 
kitchen  door.  "You  can  go  now,''  to  the  men  who 
had  accompanied  them  to  the  Butterfield  farm;  "he's 
all  right  here,"  as  they  turned  away. 

"Don't  dare  to  bring  that  man  here,"  cried  Mrs. 
Butterfield,  her  arms  akimbo;  "this  house  can't 
hold  me  and  a  traitor." 

"Mother,"'    said  Abner.  remonstrating,  and,  thrust- 


236      A   LI7'TLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

ing  Jim,  pale-faced  and  shrinking,  back  of  him,  he 
spread  out  his  hands  entreatingly,  "think  what  you 
would  do  to  refuse  him  shelter  at  this  time.  He's 
been  treated  sorely,  and  there's  no  telling  what  the 
crowd  will  do  to  him  if  he's  caught  before  they 
cool  down." 

"He  better  be  torn  limb  from  limb,"  cried  Mother 
Butterfield  savagely,  standing  erect  in  the  middle 
of  her  kitchen  floor,  her  eyes  blazing.  "Ay,  and 
give  his  bones  to  the  winds.  A  man  to  turn  against 
his  country,  and  to  use  his  foul  tongue  at  such  a 
time,  should  be  thrust  from  every  hearthstone." 
She  took  one  step  with  threatening  gesture,  and 
looked  so  very  dreadful  that  Jim  slunk  down  to  the 
floor,  pleading  feebly  for  mercy.  "  He  shall  go  from 
this  door  this  instant!  "  She  raised  her  large  but 
shapely  hand  in  command  to  her  son.  It  was  no 
time  for  mild  measures. 

"And  I  say  he  shall  not  stir  from  this  house  until 
I  deem  it  safe  for  him  to  do  so,"  said  Abner  in  a  low, 
clear  voice,  every  syllable  cutting  her  like  a  knife. 
It  was  the  first  time  in  all  his  life  of  twenty-five  years 
that  he  had  ever  set  himself  against  her  will.  She 
stared  at  him,  her  arm  still  uplifted,  gazing  blankly 
into  the  eyes  that  fastened  themselves  on  her  face  as 
if  they  were  never  to  move.  She  opened  her  moulh 


"  THE  SECRET  MUST  BE  DISCLOSED."      237 

as  if  to  speak,  but  no  words  came.  And  still  she 
stood  and  stared. 

"  Say  no  more,  mother,"  Abner  was  speaking,  she 
felt  rather  than  heard.  "  And,  Jim,  you  better  go  into 
the  other  room."  It  was  all  done  quietly  enough  now ; 
and  somehow  or  other  Mrs.  Butterfield  was  alone  in 
her  kitchen,  and  going  about  in  a  dazed  way  at  her 
housework. 

"  I  won't  answer  for  your  life  if  you  get  out  of  here," 
said  Abner  to  Jim,  the  door  well  shut  behind  them. 
"You  best  go  up  to  the  loft,  and  stay  quiet  a  bit." 
He  restrained  a  violent  desire  to  kick  him  every  step 
of  the  way  up  the  stairs.  Jim  turned  a  wild-eyed 
face  on  him.  "Debby,"  he  made  out  to  say. 

"  Stop,  you  hound  !  "  roared  Abner,  at  the  end  of 
his  patience,  and  feeling  all  the  reaction  of  doubt  at 
the  wisdom  of  his  course;  "it  needs  but  little  more 
from  you  to  make  me  want  to  throw  your  vile  carcass 
out  to  any  one  who  would  treat  it  as  it  deserves,  and 
not  raise  a  finger  to  save  you. " 

"But  I  say,  Debby"  — 

With  one  bound,  Abner  was  on  him,  tugging  like  a 
wild  beast  for  his  overthrow;  and  with  a  twist  of  his 
brawny  arm  he  thrust  him  up  the  stairs,  bestowing  as 
he  went,  the  kicks  he  had  so  longed  to  give,  then 
strode  to  the  barn,  saddled  his  horse,  and  not  allowing 


238      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

his  passion  to  cool,  he  tore  madly  down  the  road, 
and  never  drew  rein  till  he  reached  the  Parlin 
cottage. 

"What  is  it  between  Jim  and  you?  "  he  demanded, 
not  minding  in  the  least  that  Mrs.  Parlin  was  present, 
silent  and  cold,  spinning  in  the  corner.  "  I  will  know." 
His  eyes  blazed  at  her,  and  he  repeated  in  an  angry 
tone.  No  one  had  ever  heard  Abner  Butterfield 
except  in  slow-going  and  quiet  accents,  and  for  a  mo- 
ment Debby  lost  herself. 

"  Abner  — -  Abner  "  —  she  cried,  hurrying  to  him, 
to  clasp  her  hands,  "oh!  what  is  it?" 

He  put  up  one  hand  to  stay  her  approach,  all  his 
soul  at  arms  against  her,  yet  madly  devoured  with 
his  great  love.  "  It  is  no  time  to  parley,  Deborah," 
he  said  hoarsely,  his  great  eyes  looking  her  through 
and  through.  She  could  see  the  veins  on  his  fore- 
head swollen,  and  his  stern  compressed  lips  white 
with  the  effort  to  restrain  the  hot,  impetuous  speech. 
"  God  knows  I  have  loved  you  all  my  life,  as  no  man 
ever  loved  woman  before,  and  held  my  peace,  as  I 
felt  you  couldn't  love  me  until  some  little  time  back, 
and  then  it  seemed  as  if  God  was  giving  me  a  chance. 
And  now  Jim  dares  to  take  your  name  on  his  lips. 
The  hound!" 

Debby  put  up  one  white  hand  to  stay  the  passion- 


""THE  SECRET  MUST  BE  DISCLOSED."      239 

ate  avowal.  Oh  !  why  should  it  come  now,  when  all 
hope  was  gone?  She  —  a  traitor's  daughter  —  to  be 
loved  by  an  honest  man ! 

"  But  now  I  will  speak,  although  it  is  an  insult  to 
ask  you,  if  you  ever  loved  him  —  he  —  a  traitor. 
Deborah  Parlin,  sooner  than  love  one  with  traitor 
blood  in  his  veins,  one  should  pray  to  die.  God  can 
forgive  everything  else  but  that ;  every  other  disgrace 
but  that  can  be  wiped  out.  Tell  me  you  did  not  love 
him;  that's  what  I  will  know  now." 

"  I  never  loved  him,"  said  Debby,  standing  pale 
and  cold,  with  her  head  thrown  back  and  her  nostrils 
quivering. 

"  Thank  God  !  "  cried  Abner,  in  a  burst  of  joy.  He 
seized  her  hand,  but  she  pulled  it  away. 

"Don't  speak,"  she  cried,  her  voice  breaking. 
"  O  Abner !  do  not  make  it  harder  for  me  to  bear. 
Speak  no  further,  only  go*" 

"  I  will  speak  now,  Deborah,"  said  Abner  solemnly, 
and  with  such  determination  that  it  was  useless  to 
impede  his  course.  "  I  have  kept  silent  too  long,  God 
knows,  and  no  power  on  earth  shall  stop  me  now. 
Will  you  be  my  wife  ? " 

Deborah  gave  a  low  cry  of  pain,  and  with  a  mighty 
effort  held  herself  in  check  enough  to  utter,  "  No  — oh, 
no !  do  not  ask  it." 


24O      A   LITTLE   MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"  You  cannot  love  me,  then,"  he  flung  at  her  through 
set  lips. 

"  Do  not  ask  me.  I  can  never  marry  you.  O 
Abner,  Abner !  I  must  not  say  more." 

Her  quivering  shoulder  was  suddenly  grasped.  Both 
of  them  had  forgotten  the  presence  of  the  mother.  She 
held  Debby  now  as  in  a  vise,  and,  with  a  voice  not 
lifted  from  her  ordinary  one,  said,  "  The  secret  must 
be  disclosed  now;  but,  on  your  soul  of  honor,"  to 
Abner,  "you  must  not  tell  it." 

"  Mother  —  mother  ! "  shrieked  Debby,  "  stop  —  think 
what  you  are  doing.  Abner,  do  go."  She  seized  his 
arm  now  in  her  anguish,  and  wound  her  pleading  fin- 
gers around  it.  "  Oh !  I  implore  you,  if  you  love  me, 
to  go." 

"  He  shall  hear  it,"  commanded  her  mother  sternly, 
"then  he  will  see  how  useless  it  is  to  plead  for  your 
love.  My  daughter  can  never  wed,  Abner.  No 
honest  man  would  want  traitor  blood  in  his  children. 
Her  father  has  forsworn  his  country.  He  is  a  Tory !  " 

Abner  turned,  and  gave  one  look  at  Debby's  face, 
to  see  there  the  awful  truth  confirmed. 

"Go,"  she  cried,  with  face  drawn  and  white,  "tell 
it  not,  Abner.  My  mother  has  answered  you.  I  have 
my  cross  to  bear.  Go,  and  leave  me  to  bear  it." 

He  obeyed,  all  his  fire  burned  down.     And,  stunned 


"  THE  SECRET  MUST  BE  DISCLOSED."     24! 

by  the  news  into  more  than  his  usual  quiet  acceptance 
of  fate's  denials,  he  passed  out  silently.  Debby  waited 
till  the  door  closed,  and  he  was  on  his  horse ;  then  she 
turned  to  her  mother,  and  held  out  her  arms.  "  I'm 
tired,"  she  said,  "and  we  have  only  got  each  other, 
mother,"  and  fell  fainting  to  the  floor. 


242      A    -LITTLE  MA  ID   OF  COXCORD    TOWN. 


XVII. 

RAPID    PREPARATIONS. 

IT  was  no  longer  possible  for  the  old  town  by  the 
river  of  the  peaceful  name  to  remain  quiet.  The 
God  of  righteous  war  had  already  marked  her  for  his 
own,  to  proclaim  to  waiting  worlds  the  note  of  liberty. 
She  was  henceforth  to  move  on  fast  to  meet  her 
destiny. 

And  now  came  the  day  of  retribution  to  the  Tories. 
Patience  had  become,  by  this  time,  a  crime ;  and  the 
three  or  four  traitors  to  their  country  and  their  towns- 
men were  duly  recorded  and  dealt  with.  Each  citi- 
zen was  a  veritable  "  son  of  liberty,"  and  proud 
enough  to  avow  himself  as  such,  feeling  equal  to  a 
whole  corps  of  the  militia,  in  his  one  beating  breast 
and  his  two  good  arms.  And  the  work  of  preparation 
went  briskly  on.  The  meetings  at  this  time  were  on 
short  call,  and  most  informal.  Only  one  spirit  bound 
the  entire  assemblies;  that  was  the  spirit  of  liberty, 
nevermore  to  be  quenched.  A  committee  in  which 
the  neighboring  towns  were  represented,  was  chosen 


RAPID  PREPARATIONS.  243 

to  take  care  of  the  Tories;  and  all  things  were  well 
under  way  for  the  final  struggle. 

Up  in  one  of  the  front  bed-chambers  of  the  Lee 
mansion,  burned  the  candles  in  their  tall  silver  can- 
dlesticks, flanking  the  high  carved  mantel.  Another 
lighted  pair  stood  on  the  centre  mahogany  table,  with 
its  carved  claw  feet  and  its  generous  surface,  now 
strewn  with  papers,  and  well  drawn  away  from  the 
big  carved  and  brightly  polished  four-poster,  with  its 
silken  tester  and  counterpane.  The  old  clock  in  the 
corner  ticked  in  ponderous  tones  the  hour  away,  and 
the  long  mirror  with  its  little  gilt  divisions  across  its 
glassy  surface  reflected  back  all  the  solid  magnifi- 
cence of  the  spacious  apartment  and  its  solitary  oc- 
cupant. He  was  a  man  above  middle  life,  restless 
and  unhappy,  to  judge  by  his  face  and  movements. 

He  seated  himself  in  his  carved  oaken  chair,  and 
took  up  his  quill,  dallying  with  it  as  one  who  has  a 
hateful  task  before  him.  And  after  a  few  ineffectual 
trials  in  the  way  of  a  beginning,  born  out  of  an  angry 
and  perturbed  mind,  he  threw  it  down;  and  hastening 
from  his  seat,  he  went  to  the  window,  drew  aside  the 
curtain,  and  looked  out  into  the  night.  Before  him 
spread  his  ample  meadows,  swelling  away  from  the 
gentle  river  flowing  in  caressing  curve  around  them. 
As  far  as  his  eye  could  reach,  he  could  say  with 


244      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

pride,  "Mine."  There  were  the  barns  and  outhouses, 
a  long  line,  in  that  state  of  thrift  that  bespoke  the 
well-to-do  and  important  farmer,  that  member  of  the 
community  whose  bidding  was  law  and  gospel  —  if  — 
ah,  if!  He  sighed  involuntarily,  and  let  the  brocaded 
curtain  slip  from  his  fingers,  as  he  moved  away  to 
divert  his  thought.  Had  these  townsmen  of  his  any 
sense,  and  wisdom  to  discern  the  practical  issues  of 
life,  they  must  see,  as  did  he,  how  useless  the  strug- 
gle against  the  mighty  force  arraying  to  crush  them. 
Why  had  they  not  followed  him,  and  his  advice? 
Why  was  he  hated  and  execrated,  a  very  name  to  de- 
spise, as  the  children  passed  by  and  pointed  to  him  ? 
Time  was  when  he  had  been  wont  to  receive  that 
honor  given  to  one  whose  word  was  law  and  gospel 
to  the  simpler  country  folk,  and  to  notice  with  com- 
placence the  obsequious  homage  of  those  rustics  who 
now  were  setting  up  opinions  for  themselves.  Fools 
—  fools  —  he  said  to  himself,  an  angry  glow  over- 
spreading his  features. 

And  yet,  fools  as  they  were,  they  had  him  in  a  tight 
place,  those  rustics  had.  And  unless  he  signed  that 
paper  yonder,  lying  on  the  shining  mahogany  top,  it 
would  go  ill  with  him  and  his.  Why  did  not  the 
mother  country,  by  one  summary  blow,  end  this  incipi- 
ent, foolhardy  rebellion,  and  come  to  the  rescue  of  all 


RAPID   PREPARATIONS.  245 

such  stanch  upholders  of  English  law  as  ^e  and  his 
Tory  friends  ?  He  stepped  back,  and  thrust  the  cur- 
tain aside  angrily,  to  glance  out  across  the  quiet 
meadows  and  peaceful  river,  as  if  along  their  outlines 
could  be  seen  the  advancing  army  that  was  to  him  the 
only  hope  of  safety  to  his  town  and  to  the  Colonies. 

But  the  peaceful  river  shimmered  on,  undisturbed 
by  presence  of  the  flower  of  England's  army;  and, 
watching  from  the  stately  Lee  mansion,  he  heaved  a 
great  sigh,  and  went  back  to  the  big  table  once  more. 

"Whereas  I,  Joseph  Lee  of  Concord,  Physician,  on 
the  evening  of  the  first  ultimo,  did  rashly  and  without 
consideration,"  so  a  large  sheet  of  paper,  lying  flat  be- 
fore him,  showed  up  to  his  angry  eye,  as  its  preamble. 
Well  he  knew  the  rest  of  it,  and  that  document  un- 
signed when  it  was  called  for  in  the  morning,  no  one 
could  tell  the  result.  There  was  determination  now, 
so  fixed  as  to  be  unhealthy  to  meddle  with,  in  all  the 
towns  around,  that  sympathizers  with  their  country's 
foes  should  meet  with  summary  treatment  once  for  all ; 
and  he,  Joseph  Lee,  understood,  and  had  silently  re- 
ceived his  sentence  at  his  outraged  fellow-citizens' 
hands. 

But  he  had  several  kmg  hours  yet  before  the  morn- 
ing dawn,  when  his  signature  must  be  placed  to  that 
hateful  paper.  Wild  dreams  of  what  might  happen 


246      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

in  this  reprieve  flashed  across  his  heated  brain.  It 
might  be  possible  that  the  long-looked  for  British 
army,  his  godsend,  would  descend,  as  they  were  sure 
to  some  time,  upon  this  quiet  town,  and  compel  its 
surrender.  If  it  would  only  happen  this  September 
night!  He  even  went  to  the  window  again,  on  restless 
feet,  and  peered  out  as  if  he  had  half  a  mind  to  be- 
lieve he  saw  them  coming  to  victory,  and  release  for 
him.  But,  alas  for  his  hopes!  The  morrow  was  to 
bring  only  disgrace  for  him.  By  its  dawn  the  paper 
was  to  be  signed,  to  be  carried  away,  and  read  to  the 
people  who  were  clamoring  for  satisfaction. 

The  old  clock  ticked  away,  every  beat  striking 
into  his  angered  and  feverish  brain.  "Best  have  it 
over  with,"  he  cried  to  himself  at  last ;  and,  hurrying 
back,  he  snatched  up  the  quill  where  he  had  flung 
it  — "  did  rashly  and  without  consideration  make  a 
private  and  precipitate  journey  from  Concord  to 
Cambridge,  to  inform  Judge  Lee" — how  his  eye 
glowed  now  at  thought  of  this  expedition  !  — "  that 
the  country  was  assembling  to  come  down  (and  on 
no  other  business),  that  he  and  others  concerned 
might  prepare  themselves  for  the  event,  and  with 
an  avowed  intention  to  deceive  the  people  ;  by  which 
the  parties  assembling  might  have  been  exposed  to 
the  brutal  rage  of  the  soldiery,  who  had  timely  notice 


RAPID  PREPARATION'S.  2tf 

to  have  waylaid  the  roads,  and  fired  on  them  while 
unarmed  and  defenceless  in  the  dark ;  by  which 
imprudent  conduct  I  might  have  prevented  the  salu- 
tary designs  of  my  countrymen,  whose  intentions 
were  only  to  request  certain  gentlemen,  sworn  into 
office  on  the  new  system  of  government,  to  resign 
their  offices,  in  order  to  prevent  the  operation  of 
that  (so  much  detested)  act  of  the  British  Parlia- 
ment for  regulating  the  government  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Bay;  by  all  which  I  have  justly  drawn 
upon  ms  the  displeasure  of  my  countrymen." 

He  compelled  himself  to  read  it  through,  knowing 
it  by  heart  as  he  did.  "  When  I  coolly  reflect  on  my 
own  imprudence,  it  fills  my  mind  with  the  deepest 
anxiety.  I  deprecate  the  resentment  of  my  injured 
country,  humbly  confess  my  errors,  and  implore  the 
forgiveness  of  a  generous  and  free  people,  solemnly 
daclaring  that  for  the  future  I  will  never  convey  any 
intelligence  to  any  of  the  Court  party,  neither  di- 
rectly nor  indirectly ;  by  which  the  designs  of  the 
people  may  be  frustrated,  in  opposing  the  barbarous 
policy  of  an  arbitrary,  wicked,  and  corrupt  adminis- 
tration. 

CONCORD,  Sept.  19,  1774." 

Again  he  threw  the  quill  the  table  length,  and 
sprang  to  his  feet  to  pace  up  and  down  the  long 


248      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

apartment,  anger  overflowing  his  breast,  as  he  clinched 
his  hands  together,  and  swore  by  all  that  was  most 
dear  to  him  that  he  would  never  attach  his  name 
to  that  paper.  And  his  wife  came  to  the  door,  and 
knocked  timidly,  and,  in  the  exercise  of  her  love, 
daring  to  knock  again,  though  she  got  no  response. 
And  the  night  wore  on,  and  the  gray  dawn  came 
up,  and  the  morning  flush  followed,  and  still  the 
weary  and  anguished  man  strode  on,  knowing  that 
in  the  end  he  should  sign  it  just  as  surely  as  that 
the  sun  would  burst  over  the  hill-top  yonder,  to 
tell  of  a  new  day.  But  just  a  little  longer;  see, 
he  had  an  hour,  he  glanced  up  at  the  clock  ticking 
away  like  an  executioner,  before  he  should  be  humil- 
iated to  the  dust.  He  flung  himself  exhausted  into 
his  big  carved  chair,  and  leaned  his  head  upon  his 
breast  for  a  second's  repose.  What !  is  this  the 
trumpet  signal  of  triumph  echoing  down  the  street 
of  Concord  Town  ?  See  his  countrymen,  those  who 
so  lately  met  him  with  averted  looks  and  cold  dis- 
dain, now  behold  them  trembling  and  sueing  for 
mercy  as  the  conquering  train,  brilliant  in  their  gor- 
geous uniforms  and  gay  trappings,  sweep  by.  Ha  — 
ha  —  now  the  fools  know;  and  how  they  plead  with 
him,  the  rich  and  influential  Joseph  Lee,  to  inter- 
cede with  the  governor  and  the  British  emissaries 


RAPID  PREPARATIONS.  249 

for  favor;  for  Joseph  Lee,  for  steadfast  adherence  to 
his  Majesty's  cause  in  the  Colonies,  has  been  prom- 
ised rich  emoluments,  and  henceforth  his  shall  be 
the  path  of  royal  purple  and  fine  linen.  Hear  them 
cheer  for  him  —  those  splendid  fellows,  the  "flower 
of  the  British  Army."  Hear  them  — 

"  Open  the  door,  O  husband !  I  pray  you  in  mercy, 
open  the  door.  They  have  come  for  the  paper." 

He  starts  from  his  sleep,  gives  one  baffled,  angry 
glance  at  the  old  clock  ticking  away  his  pride  and  his 
old  traditions  and  his  liberty,  seizes  the  quill,  dashes 
down  a  trembling,  hasty  Joseph  Lee,  at  the  bottom  of 
the  manuscript,  undoes  the  door,  and  silently  thrusts 
the  paper  out  to  his  wife,  who,  weeping,  would  have 
kissed  his  hand  had  he  not  bitterly  withdrawn  it  and 
locked  himself  in  again. 

And  seven  days  later,  on  Sept.  26,  the  whole  town 
was  "  resolved  into  a  committee  of  safety,"  and  it  was 
"  voted  to  raise  one  or  more  companies  to  march  at  a 
minute's  warning."  The  committee  of  correspondence 
was  appointed,  and  delegates  to  the  proposed  Provin- 
cial Congress  were  chosen.  Concord  was  nearly  ready 
for  the  great  struggle.  But  one  thing  more  of  great 
importance  remained  to  be  achieved.  This  was  the 
Provincial  Congress. 

On  this  same  day,  the  26th,  when  events  so  fate- 


250      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

ful  were  being  prepared  for  by  the  citizens  of  Concord 
Town  and  the  neighboring  boroughs,  out  of  the  Brit- 
ish coffee-house  in  Boston  Town  strolled  Bernard 
Thornton,  light  of  foot  and  of  unmoved  countenance, 
but  with  a  heart  ill  at  ease.  He  went  steadily  down 
King  Street,  crossed  over  the  intervening  space  to  the 
Common,  where,  threading  his  way  among  the  white 
tents,  he  came  to  the  object  of  his  search,  all  as  casu- 
ally as  if  the  meeting  had  been  of  chance.  There  he 
was,  the  very  special  redcoat  whom  the  dark  eye  rested 
upon,  though  it  gave  no  sign  of  any  recognition.  The 
soldier  was  pacing  leisurely  up  and  down  on  guard, 
more  for  the  sake  of  the  perfunctory  exercise  than  for 
any  real  good  to  ensue.  Thornton  came  to  a  halt, 
and  spoke  twice  before  the  man  appeared  to  hear. 

"Oh,  my  good  fellow!  are  you  deaf?"  cried  the 
young  British  officer  pleasantly.  "  Never  a  word  can 
I  get  out  of  you.  How  goes  the  world  with  you,  Par- 
lin  ?  Well,  I  hope." 

The  man  raised  a  heavy-eyed  face,  stolid  and  un- 
communicative, with  that  sort  of  hold-fast  quality 
sometimes  called  firmness,  that  should  be  termed 
obstinacy,  and  answered  never  a  word. 

"  Not  sorry  you  have  seen  the  best  way  to  help  your 
countrymen,  eh  ? "  queried  the  young  officer. 

"  No,  I'm  not  sorry,"  said  John  Parlin  doggedly. 


RAPID   PREPARATIONS.  2$  I 

"  That's  right.  Take  my  word  for  it,  you  are 
kinder  to  your  townsmen  than  if  you  stayed  and 
made  one  more  to  urge  them  on  to  a  reckless  folly 
that  is  inexcusable.  There  is  a  terrible  reckoning  to 
come  upon  them,  my  man.  The  only  way  to  avert  it 
is  for  England  to  rise  up  in  her  power  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, and  strike  one  decisive  and  short,  sharp  blow. 
Once  she  does  that,  and  the  Colonies  are  taught  wis- 
dom; and  all  who  have  served  his  Majesty  and  the 
English  Parliament  will  be  rewarded  with  honor  and 
riches.  You,  Parlin,  will  be  in  the  end  the  benefactor 
of  your  family  and  your  misguided  townsmen." 

Still  no  answer. 

"Mister,"  said  John  Parlin,  when  the  pause  was 
becoming  awkward,  "my  little  gal,  my  Debby,  knows 
it  now,  and  we  never'll  meet  again."  He  snapped 
this  out  mechanically,  and  never  turned  his  heavy 
eyes  from  Thornton's  face. 

"Eh,  your  daughter?  Have  you  been  out  to  Con- 
cord to  see  her?"  queried  the  young  officer  all  in  a 
breath,  with  a  quick  glance  that  would  have  pierced 
any  less  stolid  countenance. 

"My  little  gal,  my  Debby,  knows  it  now,  and 
we'll  never  meet  again,"  repeated  his  Majesty's 
new  subject,  without  a  change  of  face. 

"  Nonsense,  man.     She'll  be  rejoiced  at  your  good 


252      A    LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

sense,  when  the  end  comes,  at  any  rate.  You  are 
earning  money  steadily,  and  laying  it  up  for  your 
family;  and  when  it  is  all  over,  as  it  surely  must 
be  soon,"  his  dark,  lambent  eyes  gleamed,  "  none 
will  be  more  rejoiced  than  this  daughter  of  yours. 
Cheer  up,  the  call  to  arms  will  be  ere  long.  You 
are  pining  for  action,  as  are  we  all." 

"  My  Debby  knows  it,  and  we'll  never  meet  again/' 
repeated  John  Parlin,  without  a  change  of  muscle. 

"Trust  me  to  make  you  easy  on  that  score,"  re- 
plied the  young  officer,  not  without  a  touch  of  an- 
ger ;  "  and  hark  ye,  John  Parlin,  an  unwilling 
subject  of  his  Majesty  does  not  receive,  at  the  final 
reckoning,  a  share  of  the  honor  and  the  recompense." 

"  I'm  not  sorry,"  said  John  Parlin  stolidly,  and 
not  turning  his  eyes  away. 

"That's  well.  Of  such  stuff  are  good  British 
subjects  made.  I  will  reconnoitre,  and  bring  you 
word  from  Concord  Town.  Believe  me  that  all  will 
be  well."  He  stepped  lightly  on  his  way.  John 
Parlin,  in  his  Majesty's  uniform,  marched  back  and 
forth  as  before,  with  no  change  of  countenance  or 
manner. 

That  afternoon,  on  the  old  Bay  Road,  at  the  out- 
skirts of  Concord  Town,  a  venerable  man,  footsore 
and  weary,  paused  to  ask  permission  to  rest  beside 


RAPID  PREPARATIONS.  2$$ 

a  cottage  door.  He  was  slim  and  bent,  and  his  long 
white  hair  flowed  over  his  thin  shoulders,  as  he 
leaned  trembling  on  his  staff.  The  children  playing 
beside  the  door  ran  in  and  shouted  out  that  a  poor 
old  beggar-man  was  there,  and  couldn't  he  sit  down 
in  a  chair  in  the  kitchen.  This  brought  the  good 
wife  to  the  door,  with  pity  in  her  eye.  She  was 
wiping  up  her  dishes,  and  mechanically  went  on  with 
her  task,  carefully  polishing  up  the  bowl  in  her 
hand  on  the  long  brown  towel,  as  she  listened  to 
his  tale  of  woe  with  a  sympathizing  ear,  the  children, 
with  their  fingers  in  their  mouths,  hovering  near. 

"Yes,  good  man,  come  in,"  she  cried,  holding 
wide  the  door.  "  Nancy,  set  a  chair.  Susan,  don't 
get  in  his  way  so.  Here,  Jonas,  give  him  your 
arm,;'  to  the  biggest  boy  in  the  crowd. 

'•  You  are  very  good,"  sighed  the  old  man,  as  he 
sank  into  the  wooden  chair;  "these  be  troublous 
times,  and  I  did  not  know  that  I  should  find  so 
much  kindness." 

''Troublous  the  times  may  be,  and  you  may  well  say 
so,"  replied  Dame  Woodward,  going  back  to  her  dish- 
washing with  a  backward  glance  at  him;  "but  that's 
no  reason  why  \ve  shouldn't  look  well  to  the  poor 
within  our  gates.  I'm  sorry  for  you.  How  far  have 
you  come  ? " 


254      A    LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Quite  a  piece  —  quite  a  piece,''  said  the  old  man 
feebly,  nodding  his  head,  "so  far  I  disremember." 

"You  must  be  very  tired  and  hungry,"  said  Dame 
Woodward  pityingly.  "  May  the  Lord  forgive  me  for 
not  thinking  of  it  sooner ! "  She  dashed  down  her 
towel  across  the  pile  of  dishes  waiting  to  be  dried  ; 
and,  going  to  the  buttery,  she  returned  with  a  slice  of 
corn  bread.  "  I  will  make  you  a  cup  of  tea,"  she  said, 
hurrying  to  the  kettle  hanging  on  the  crane. 

"Thank  the  Lord  you  have  tea  to  give  me!"  cried 
the  old  man,  in  a  revived  voice.  "  'Twould  rest  my 
bones  more  than  to  take  ten  years  off  from  them,  to 
get  an  honest  cup  of  English  tea." 

"  English  tea  !  "  cried  the  dame,  nearly  dropping  the 
big  blue  cup  and  saucer,  and  turning  a  red  and  angry 
countenance  upon  him.  "  Who  are  you  to  come  to 
Concord  Town  and  talk  of  English  tea  ?  Never  a  drop 
can  you  get  here  to  wet  your  throat.  You  may  search 
from  one  end  of  the  place  to  the  other.  No,  we 
drink  nothing  that  is  mixed  by  tyrants,  and  stamped 
by  a  wicked  Parliament."  She  was  so  very  angry  that 
the  old  man's  head  went  down  on  his  breast,  and  he 
blubbered  and  whimpered,  and  gurgled  that  he  didn't 
mean  any  offence  ;  but  it  was  so  long  since  he  had 
tasted  tea,  and  he  was  so  very  tired,  and  he  hoped  she 
would  forgive  him,  and  all  that. 


RAPID  PREPARATIONS.  255 

"  Don't  scold  him,  mother,"  begged  Jonas ;  "  see 
him  shake.  He's  old,  and  he  didn't  know  any  better." 

"  You  must  excuse  me,  sir,"  said  the  dame,  hurry- 
ing to  pour  an  infusion  from  a  pot  by  the  fire  into  the 
cup,  and  covering  it  with  boiling  water  from  the  kettle 
on  the  crane;  "but  I'm  sore  worked  up  indeed  to 
think  that  you'd  believe  for  a  moment  that  a  house  in 
Concord  Town  could  hold  that  wicked  king's  tea. 
Here,  drink  this,  poor  man,  it  will  rest  you ;  for  it  is 
an  honest  cup,  brewed  in  the  spirit  of  liberty." 

"  I  am  better  now.  I  need  no  tea,"  said  the  old 
man,  not  offering  to  take  the  cup  she  held  forth. 

"  Yes,  you  must  drink  it,"  said  the  good  wife. 
"You  are  beaten  with  your  journey."  She  thrust  it 
under  his  nose.  "  You  will  say  that  it  makes  you  well, 
when  once  it  is  down." 

Thus  pressed,  the  stranger  had  no  alternative  but  to 
accept  the  cup,  out  of  which  he  took  gingerly  a  small 
swallow,  and  then  precipitately  sought  the  door  by  a 
series  of  jerks  that  were  supposed  to  represent  age  in 
a  hurry. 

"  It  is  excellent  —  excellent,"  he  said  tottering  back, 
and  wiping  his  mouth  on  his  ragged  sleeve ;  "  but 
my  stomach  is  weak  —  loss  of  food,  dear  madam  — 
my  long  walk.  Pardon  me."  He  sat  down,  mum- 
bling away  deep  in  his  throat  things  that  no  one  un- 


256      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

derstood,  although  the  children  crowded  him  closely 
not  to  lose  a  word. 

"  He's  hungry,  mother,  don't  you  understand,"  said 
Susan,  who  succeeded  in  getting  the  closest  to  him. 
"  Do  get  him  something  to  eat,  quick,"  with  great  sym- 
pathy, as  she  was  always  in  that  state. 

"  I'm  sure  I  will  give  him  something  to  stay  his  hun- 
ger," said  her  mother,  somewhat  mollified  as  she  felt 
this  might  be  the  reason  for  the  low  condition,  unable 
to  more  than  taste  her  splendid  herb  tea.  "  Here  is 
the  best  I  have,"  bringing  the  corn  slice. 

The  stranger  shook  his  head  feebly.  "  Could  one 
of  your  little  ones  put  the  bits  into  my  mouth  ? "  he 
asked  in  a  faint  voice. 

"  You  poor  soul,  yes,"  cried  the  good  dame,  quite 
won  over  from  her  resentment ;  "  though  I  wish  you 
would  take  the  tea,  'twould  quite  bring  you  to." 

"  Let  me  feed  him  —  let  me,"  cried  Susan,  springing 
for  the  blue  plate  on  which  reposed  the  slice  of  corn 
bread. 

"  I  want  to,"  piped  Nancy,  on  her  tiptoes. 

"You  can't  either  of  you  do  it  straight,"  broke  in 
Jonas.  "  I  shall  do  it  myself." 

Thereupon  a  scuffle  ensued,  in  which  the  blue  plate 
changed  hands  so  many  times  that  it  was  difficult  to 
say  to  whom  it  really  belonged,  the  slice  of  corn 


RAPID  PREPARATIONS.  2$? 

bread  lying  unnoticed  on  the  floor  where  it  had  flown 
in  the  melee. 

"  Naughty  children  ! "  cried  their  mother,  bestowing 
liberal  boxes  from  her  palm  on  the  ears  that  came 
handy,  "to  fight  and  quarrel  so  when  we  are  all  in 
such  trouble,  and  this  poor  man  may  be  dying  before 
us."  She  picked  up  the  slice,  and  laid  it  on  the  table, 
and  went  to  the  buttery  to  fetch  another. 

"  This  isn't  good  enough  for  company,''  said  Susan, 
calmly  eating  it  with  a  gusto. 

"  Ma,  Susan's  et  up  the  corn  bread,"  shouted  Jonas, 
who  intended  to  take  it  himself. 

"  You  bad  girl,"  said  her  mother,  giving  her  a  shake 
as  she  passed  her,  "  and  you  had  two  whole  slices  for 
dinner.  Here,  Jonas,  you  may  feed  the  poor  old  man. 
How  you  children  can  be  so  naughty  I  don't  see,  when 
we  are  all  in  such  trouble." 

"  You  speak  of  trouble  so  often,  my  good  woman," 
quavered  the  old  man,  as  he  opened  his  mouth  to 
receive  the  liberal  wedge  of  corn-bread  that  Jonas 
applied  to  his  lips.  "  Not  such  big  pieces,  please, 
and  don't  feed  me  fast.  I'm  an  old  man,  and  I  can't 
eat  very  fast." 

"  You've  got  all  your  teeth,"  said  Jonas,  investigat- 
ing the  interior  that  received  the  corn-bread  supply. 

The    stranger  closed   his   mouth   quickly ;   and  the 


258      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

corn  crumbs  must  have  gone  down  the  wrong  way, 
for  he  coughed  and  spluttered,  until  Jonas  at  last  put 
down  the  plate  in  despair  at  ever  being  able  to  furnish 
another  supply. 

"  I  don't  want  to  feed  him,  mother,"  he  announced 
in  a  loud  whisper  to  the  dame ;  "  he's  awful  slow  and 
queer." 

"He's  very  old,"  whispered  loudly  back  his  mother. 
"We  must  pity  the  infirmities  of  the  aged,  my  son. 
See,  he's  nodding  ;  he'll  go  off  to  sleep  most  likely. 
You  children  can  run  out  to  play." 

Jonas  and  the  others,  having  gotten  all  the  fun  out 
of  the  episode  likely  to  come,  scampered  off,  while 
the  aged  stranger  dozed  and  nodded.  Suddenly  he 
gave  a  long  sigh.  "  I  must  have  lost  myself,"  he 
said,  opening  his  eyes.  "  Oh,  well-a-day !  my  poor 
limbs  were  all  tired  out.  You  spoke  of  trouble,  my 
good  woman,  —  he  roused  himself  as  by  an  effort  to 
be  conversational  —  "  and  have  you  seen  trouble  ? 
You  seem  comfortable,"  glancing  around  the  cottage 
walls. 

"Where  have  you  been  not  to  know  the  trouble  and 
sore  distress  of  our  Colonies  ?  "  cried  the  dame  wrath- 
fully.  "Have  you  been  asleep  all  these  past  years 
not  to  have  discovered  it.  The  idea  of  coming  to 
Concord  Town  and  asking  me  this  question ! "  she 


RAPID  PREPARATIONS.  259 

added  in  a  dudgeon.  "  Well,  since  you  don't  seem  to 
know,  I  will  tell  you  that  wicked  King  George  has 
left  no  stone  unturned  by  which  he  might  oppress  us. 
He  and  his  wickeder  parliament  are  determined  to 
crush  us  —  but  they  can't  do  it. 

The  old  man  huddled  down  in  his  chair  deprecat- 
ingly.  "You  surely  do  not  mean  to  oppose  the 
king  ? "  he  quavered  in  dismay. 

"  Oppose  ?  Ay,  we  do.  We  will  fight  him  to  the 
death.  There  isn't  a  man  in  Concord  Town  who 
won't  do  it." 

"  What,  fight  your  king  ?  "  cried  the  old  man  in 
horror,  and  spreading  his  hands,  quivering  like  aspen 
leaves. 

"  Our  king,"  exploded  Dame  Woodward  ;  "  we  know 
no  king  but  God.  The  king  you  call  ours  is  a  despot, 
and  has  treated  us  like  slaves.  We  have  obeyed  him, 
been  loyal  to  him,  and  loved  him  —  now  don't  talk, 
you're  too  old,  —  and  still  he  crushes  us  to  the  earth. 
Nothing  now  remains  for  us  but  slavery.  Fight  ? 
You  shall  see  how  we  will  fight  when  the  time  comes. 
Bless  God,  it's  coming  soon,  we  pray." 

"  You  wouldn't  have  your  husband  go  to  battle, 
would  you  ? "  queried  the  old  man  in  a  thin  tone  of 
amazement. 

"  I  wouldn't  have  him  not  go,"  shrilled  the  dame. 


26O      A   LIl^TLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"  And  if  the  men  can't  whip  the  British  enslavers, 
we  women  and  girls  will  all  turn  out.  Where  have 
you  been  not  to  know  this  without  asking,  pray  tell?" 
It  was  her  turn  to  look  amazed. 

"  I'm  very  old  and  poor  and  tired,"  said  the 
stranger  feebly.  "  I  pray  you  to  forgive  me  if  I 
make  mistakes ; "  and  then  he  went  off  into  another 
fit  of  mumbling.  To  restore  him,  Dame  Woodward 
began  to  talk,  thinking  to  make  him  forget  his  blun- 
der. "  No  matter  how  sick  and  poor  and  troubled  we 
be,  we're  all  for  fighting.  Now  you  ought  to  hear 
Debby  Parlin  talk." 

The  old  man  went  on  mumbling,  as  if  he  heard 
not.  But  presently  he  begged  humbly  to  be  for- 
given again.  "You  were  speaking  of  one  of  your 
relatives?"  he  asked. 

"She's  no  kin  to  me,  but  I  wish  she  was.  Don't 
you  know  Debby  Parlin  ?  Why,  everybody  knows 
her.  She  lives  down  this  Old  Bay  Road  in  a  little 
cottage  against  the  Ridge." 

"You  forget  I  do  not  live  in  this  village,"  said  the 
old  man. 

"  Seem's  if  everybody  ought  to  know  Debby  Par- 
lin," replied  Mrs.  Woodward.  "Well,  her  father's 
gone  off,  no  livin'  mortal  knows  where.  The  trouble 
we've  all  been  in,  has  prob'ly  flew  to  his  head.  An' 


RAPW  PREPARATIONS.  26 1 

Mis'  Parlin  took  a  dretful  spell  by  reason  of  him 
away ;  an'  there's  that  Deb'rah  with  her  sick  ma,  for 
she's  terribly  changed,  Mis'  Parlin  is,  an'  them  three 
children,  and  she's  as  fierce  for  the  war  to  begin  as 
any  of  us.  Land  !  I  wouldn't  want  to  fight  that  girl 
if  I  was  a  British  soldier." 

"You  interest  me  very  much,"  said  the  stranger, 
when  the  busy  tongue  came  to  a  pause.  "  And  you 
make  me  forget  my  own  troubles  to  hear  you,  my 
good  woman." 

"Well,  it's  a  sight  to  make  a  body  cry,  to  see  that 
girl ;  why,  she  goes  out  spinning,  or  weaving,  or  doing 
anything  she  can  turn  her  hand  to,  and  all  the  towns- 
folk have  her  come  an'  help  'em.  Everybody  loves 
Debby.  Oh,  dear,  dear!  —  an'  we  can't  help  her 
much,  cause  we're  all  as  poor  as  Job's  turkeys,  an' 
got  our  own  noses  to  the  grindstone.  You  ain't 
goin' ?  " 

"I  must  get  on  a  piece  now,"  said  the  old  man, 
getting  out  of  his  chair,  and  planting  his  staff  on 
the  floor  with  a  thump.  "Thank  you  kindly,  my 
good  woman,  I  won't  forget  you  ever." 

"You're  welcome,"  said  Dame  Woodward;  "let  me 
help  you,"  essaying  to  ease  his  tottering  footsteps  to 
the  door.  "I'm  sure  I  wish  I  had  better  to  give  you, 
but  it's  all  we've  got  ourselves.  At  any  rate,  it's 


262      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

honest  food,  and  it  don't  belong  to  slaves,  for  we're 
bound  to  be  free.  Don't  you  fail  to  remember  that. 
An'  I'm  glad  I  seen  you,  and  may  the  Lord  help  you 
on  your  way."  She  shouted  all  this  after  him  as  he 
tremblingly  went  down  the  road  toward  the  centre  of 
Concord  Town. 


"CONCORD   WILL  NEVER  BE   CONQUERED."    263 


XVIII. 


f~^  OVERNOR  and  Commander-in-Chief  Gage  sat  by 
VJT"  his  fireside,  in  the  Province  House,  —  for  the 
day,  though  in  early  autumn,  was  cool,  —  lost  in  a  train 
of  perplexed  and  angry  musing.  He  had  that  after- 
noon ridden  out  to  view  the  blockhouses  and  repairs 
on  the  fortifications  at  Boston  Neck,  which,  to  further 
subdue  the  rebellious  spirit  of  the  colonists,  he  had 
gotten  well  under  way.  Though  none  of  the  laborers 
versed  in  such  matters  in  the  town  would  assist  him, 
he  had  managed  to  erect  some  sort  of  makeshift 
for  fortifying  purposes.  He  intended  to  pursue  the 
work  rapidly,  at  the  same  time  to  push  forward  every 
other  scheme  to  break  the  spirit  of  the  rebels,  who 
were  now  becoming  openly  determined  to  stand  by 
their  rights,  and  to  remain  "the  conservators  of  ex- 
isting institutions,  they  call  themselves,"  he  said 
sneeringly  to  himself;  "but  rebels  they  are,  and  by 
King  George  and  the  British  Parliament  and  the 
British  army,  as  rebels  I  will  subdue  them." 


264      A   LITTLE   MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

Thwarted  in  all  he  had  set  out  to  do  in  the  way 
of  subjugating  these  troublesome  colonists,  Thomas 
Gage,  received  by  the  people  of  Boston  in  their  great 
relief  at  the  withdrawal  of  the  detested  Hutchinson, 
at  first  with  a  popular  show  of  welcome,  had  failed, 
like  the  other  royal  governors,  to  grasp  the  situation. 
Here  he  sat  in  the  handsome  home,  set  apart  by  the 
Colonial  Legislature  of  1716  for  him  and  his  prede- 
cessors, looking  back  on  a  constantly  increasing  com- 
plication of  the  difficulty  he  had  hoped  to  straighten 
out  between  the  king  and  his  subjects. 

In  his  rage  at  the  obstinacy  and  foolhardiness  of 
these  rebels,  he  could  not  but  acknowledge,  had  he 
been  truthful,  that  he  lost  his  head  when  he  became 
malignant  enough  to  send  forth  his  proclamation 
against  those  who  were  determined  not  to  buy  British 
goods.  All  his  efforts  to  fasten  the  charges  of  treason 
and  rebellion  upon  the  colonist  leaders,  in  their  in- 
dependent interpretation  of  their  chartered  rights, 
had  failed  utterly,  leaving  him  in  a  most  mortifying 
position,  constantly  forced  to  some  new  scheme  by 
which  he  fondly  hoped  to  be  successful. 

But  the  Regulation  Act,  immediately  put  into  opera- 
tion by  him  when  received  from  the  English  Par- 
liament, not  only  made  matters  worse,  but  precipitated 
the  crisis.  The  colonists  must  now  either  be  slaves, 


"CONCORD   WILL  NEVER  BE  CONQUERED."    265 

or  independent  men,  free  from  the  yoke  of  king  or 
Parliament.  There  could  be  no  middle  situation,  and  he, 
sitting  there,  governor  and  commander-in-chief  of  the 
British  army,  knew  it,  as  did  all  the  world  looking  on. 

It  was  in  the  midst  of  these  distressing  and  humil- 
iating thoughts,  that  a  tall  and  slender  man,  in  the 
garb  of  a  British  officer,  approached  the  mansion,  and 
ascended  the  high  flight  of  stone  steps.  He  was 
ushered  through  a  "  magnificent  doorway  which  might 
have  rivalled  those  of  the  palaces  of  Europe."  Here 
he  left  his  colored  servant  in  the  outer  hall,  with  a 
careless  glance  of  his  dark  eye,  and  a  manner  indica- 
tive of  no  special  command ;  yet  Pompey  ducked  obse- 
quiously, and  shuffled  his  feet  back  instantly,  as  if 
anxious  to  get  well  out  of  range  of  anything  that 
might  fly  in  their  direction. 

"  Ha,  Thornton,  is  that  you  ?  "  said  Governor  Gage, 
as  the  young  man  entered.  "  Close  the  door,  and 
come  here.  Stay,  ring  for  wine  to  be  brought." 

"  I  want  none,  thank  you,"  said  Thornton  hastily, 
"  and  would  to  business  as  soon  as  possible." 

"Wine  you  must  have,"  replied  the  governor.  Even 
a  little  thing  like  that  irritated  him,  who  seemed  not 
able  to  impose  obedience.  "  And  if  you  cannot  touch 
that  bell  yonder,  why,  I  can  do  it  for  you." 

"  Pardon  me,"  said  the  young  officer,  the  color  ris- 


266      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

ing  to  his  cheek,  "  in  that  case  I  find  that  I  do  need 
some  wine,  and  permit  me  to  ring  for  you." 

When  the  wine  was  brought  by  the  black  servant, 
and  the  decanters  and  their  glasses  were  set  forth 
on  the  shining  oaken  table,  Thornton  paused,  between 
his  slow  sips,  to  wait  the  pleasure  of  the  governor. 
But  no  summons  to  speak  coming  from  the  governor's 
lips,  he  at  last  set  down  his  glass  and  said,  "If  you 
will  permit  me,  Governor  Gage,  I  will  show  you  why 
I  come  to  you  this  afternoon.  Really  it  seems  to  me 
there  is  cause  for  grave  consideration  if  not  for  serious 
alarm,  in  the  various  matters  I  shall  lay  before  you." 

"  Matters  that  I  doubt  not  will  be  trifling,  as  are 
all  the  affairs  in  which  these  rebels  are  engaged," 
said  Governor  Gage,  intending  to  be  dignified  and 
cool,  but  missing  his  object. 

"  Perhaps  so,"  assented  Thornton,  who  had  regained 
his  usual  color,  and  taking  another  sip  of  wine  with 
an  indifferent  air,  as  if  determined  now  to  await  the 
governor's  request  before  revealing  his  errand. 

"  I  shall  not  be  disturbed,  Thornton,  I  tell  you  in 
advance,  at  whatever  you  bring  me.  Remember,  I 
know  these  rascally  poltroons  well,  and  can  be  sur- 
prised by  nothing.  What  are  their  leaders,  but  men 
of  low  birth  and  fortunes  like  this  desperate  Sam 
Adams,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  weak  fools  who  aspire 


"CONCORD   WILL  NEVER  BE  CONQUERED."    267 

to  aristocracy,  like  this  Hancock,  who  is  really  led 
about  by  this  same  Adams  ?  Bah  !  "  He  struck  the 
table  with  his  palm  till  the  glasses  rang,  poured  out 
a  stiff  glass  of  grog,  and  tossed  it  off.  "  Out  with 
your  tale,"  he  said  briefly,  and  composed  himself  as 
well  as  he  could  to  listen. 

"  I  shall  sadly  vex  you,  Governor  Gage,  I  doubt  not," 
said  Thornton  respectfully,  yet  not  without  a  shade 
of  contempt  in  his  tone,  "  at  what  I  am  about  to  say." 

"  Nonsense  !  "  ejaculated  the  governor.  "  You  can- 
not vex  me.  Have  I  not  known  you  well,  and  from 
what  you  come  ?  You  are  an  English  gentleman ; 
and,  mark  you,  Thornton,  there  is  no  finer  work  of 
God  under  the  sun  than  one  such."  The  young  man 
bowed  in  gratified  acknowledgment  at  this  tribute. 

"  You  are  of  kin  to  Sir  Francis  Bernard,  and 
have  lived  in  the  midst  of  all  his  traditions  of  family 
and  government,  to  say  nothing  of  being  taught  like 
him  at  the  University  of  Oxford,  where,  if  anywhere, 
thank  God  for  it,  men  are  made  to  believe  in  the 
divine  right  of  kings ;  and  your  word  has,  I  must 
confess,  as  I  have  ever  shown  to  you,  great  weight 
with  me,"  the  governor  proceeded,  with  a  view  to  the 
earliest  propitiation  of  the  young  man  before  him. 

"But  I  warn  you,  nevertheless,  that  I  am  about 
to  utter  what  may  be  instrumental  in  breaking  up 


268      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

your  regard  for  me,  notwithstanding  this  regard  is 
based  upon  my  being  kinsman  to  your  friend  Sir 
Francis." 

"Not  wholly,  Thornton,"  interposed  the  governor 
hastily.  "You  are  a  young  man  after  my  own  heart 
and  mind,  on  your  individual  merits.  It  is  for  your- 
self that  1  have  regard ;  your  family  traditions  and 
early  associations  do  but  enrich  you." 

Thornton  moved  his  chair  a  trifle  impatiently. 
"  Have  I  your  permission  to  proceed  to  the  business 
in  hand  ? " 

"  Yes ;  proceed  at  once,"  said  the  governor,  com- 
pressing his  lips  and  folding  his  hands. 

"  In  the  first  place,  I  have  a  confession  to  make 
to  you,  sir,"  said  Thornton  respectfully  yet  firmly. 
"  Where  I  once  thought  that  these  Colonists,  call  them 
rebels  if  you  will "  — 

"  They  are  rebels,"  interrupted  the  governor  harshly, 
and  bringing  down  his  folded  hand  again  in  a  way 
to  make  the  glasses  ring;  "rebels  of  the  deepest  dye; 
mark  you  that.  Proceed." 

"  Where  I  once  thought  that  they  were  hopelessly 
contending  for  a  principle  they  would  never  bring  to 
the  point  of  settlement  by  the  sword,  I  now  as  con- 
scientiously believe  that  they  will  fight  to  the  death 
to  maintain  that  principle." 


"CONCORD   WILL  NEVER  BE  CONQUERED."    269 

"  You  lie  !  "  exclaimed  the  governor,  startled  out  of 
his  composure,  and  leaping  from  his  chair. 

"  No  man,  be  he  governor  or  king,  dares  tell  me 
that,"  said  Thornton,  getting  deliberately  out  from  his 
chair  and  facing  him. 

"  You  are  right,  my  boy,"  the  governor  put  out  a 
quick  hand,  and  laid  it  on  the  young  man's  shoulder; 
"  I  was  hasty  and  choleric  —  forgive  me.  By  my 
sword,  I  have  been  more  tried  than  even  you  imagine. 
Here's  my  hand,  I  know  you  are  a  man  of  honor  and 
truth.  Forgive  and  forget,  Thornton." 

The  young  officer  silently  took  the  proffered  hand, 
and  reseated  himself,  as  the  governor  did  the  same. 

"  I  am  at  a  loss  how  to  proceed,  sir,"  he  said  after 
a  moment,  when  his  host  was  pouring  out  another 
glass  of  wine,  and  drinking  it  to  allay  his  perturbation  ; 
"  I  am  fearful  I  may  offend  again." 

"  Go  on,  I  promise  not  to  take  umbrage  again,  at 
least  till  you  are  through,"  said  Governor  Gage  with 
a  short  laugh.  Yet  he  clinched  his  hands  tightly  to- 
gether to  hold  himself  in  check. 

"I  repeat  it,  sir,  these  Colonists"  (it  was  noticeable 
that  all  through  the  conversation  that  ensued,  Thornton 
did  not  once  allude  to  them  as  rebels,  and  Governor 
Gage  winced  many  a  time  at  the  omission)  "will  fight 
when  the  time  comes,  I  believe  —  and  to  a  man." 


2/0      A   LITTLE  MAID    OI-    COKCORD    TOWN. 

"Why  do  you  thus  believe?  and  from  what  do  you 
draw  your  conclusions  ?  "  demanded  the  governor. 

"From  my  own  personal  observations,  sir,"  said 
Thornton.  "I  have  been  now,  you  know,  many 
months  among  them,  in  every  conceivable  disguise,  — 
peddler,  aged  man,  —  in  any  and  every  way  in  which 
I  could  be  admitted  to  their  confidence.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  enumerate  them.  You  know  how  I  have 
employed  every  moment  I  could  be  spared  from  my 
regiment,  and  I  will  conscientiously  say  I  have  been 
thorough  in  my  work." 

"This  I  believe,  knowing  you,"  the  governor  opened 
his  tightly  compressed  lips  to  say. 

•''I  have  visited  many  towns  and  Colonies,  and  have 
acquired  besides  the  actual  knowledge  needed  for  our 
commanders  in  the  way  of  ammunition,  men,  and  so 
forth,  the  additional  information  as  to  the  temper  and 
spirit  of  the  Colonists.  Lately  I  have  centred  my 
best  work  in  Concord  Town." 

"  And  what  do  you  find  there  ?"  demanded  the  gov- 
ernor eagerly,  and  unclasping  his  hands  to  nervously 
play  with  his  wine-glass.  "I  venture  to  say  that  here 
at  least  you  will  accord  me  the  justice  of  good  intui- 
tions, when  I  say  that  they  will  not  fight  when  brought 
to  the  pinch.  Old  Concord  is  too  near  to  Boston  to 
dare  the  trial.  She  knows  too  much." 


"CONCORD   WILL  NEVER  BE  CONQUERED."    2/1 

"  On  the  contrary,"  said  Thornton  in  a  low,  strained 
voice,  "  she  knows  so  much,  that  she  is  willing  to  die, 
but  she  will  be  free.  Take  my  word  for  it,  sir.  Be 
warned  in  time.  Concord  will  never  be  conquered." 

There  was  an  awful  pause.  Then  came  a  crushing 
sound  as  the  wine-glass  was  hurled  from  the  governor's 
fingers  and  dashed  against  the  hearthstone. 

"  I  will  keep  my  word,  young  man,"  he  said,  his 
face  almost  purple  in  his  attempts  to  restrain  himself. 
"  I  am  a  man  of  honor,  and  never  will  I  forget  that  I 
have  promised  to  be  silent  and  upbraid  you  not,  but 
to  let  you  finish  in  peace.  Have  you  more  to  say  ? " 

"Yes."  The  young  officer  nodded,  and  communed 
silently  how  easiest  to  bring  all  the  points  to  the  best 
and  quickest  consideration  of  his  hearer. 

"You  have  made,  I  hope,  some  good  Loyalists?" 
queried  the  governor  sharply,  with  a  keen  glance,  "  in 
all  these  journeyings." 

"Yes,"  said  Thornton.  A  pained  expression  swept 
over  his  face,  but  it  was  gone  in  an  instant,  and  he 
bore  his  usual  countenance.  "I  have,  sir.  But 
these  are  all  overborne  by  the  determined  spirit  of 
their  opposers.  They  amount  to  nothing  as  far  as 
stemming  the  current  of  public  opinion.  It  is  all 
one  way.  Believe  me,  sir,  I  would  I  had  a  pleasant 
tale  to  tell." 


2/2      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Now,  by  King  George,"  cried  the  governor,  on 
his  feet,  and  clinching  both  hands  before  him,  "they 
shall  taste  the  sword  they  are  so  anxious  to  run 
against.  Poor  wretches!  will  nothing  bring  them  to 
reason?  Are  they  so  steeped  in  their  folly  and  con- 
ceit that  they  can  see  aught  but  ruin  ahead  of  them  ? 
It  is  time  to  loose  the  dogs  of  war  on  them,  for  the 
longer  delayed,  but  intrenches  them  in  their  mad 
delusions.  Go  on,  for  I  see  that  you  have  more  on 
your  mind,"  he  commanded  abruptly. 

"They  have  begun  to  raise  what  they  call  com- 
panies of  minute-men  among  the  various  towns," 
said  Thornton. 

"Ha,  ha!  and  what  are  those,  pray  tell?  Men 
who  will  run  the  minute  the  British  army  stands 
before  them,  I  make  no  doubt,"  sneered  Governor 
Gage. 

"They  are  men  who  will  be  ready  to  take  up  arms 
the  minute  the  call  comes  for  them,"  said  Thornton. 

"  Bosh ! "  It  was  impossible  to  throw  more  con- 
tempt into  a  single  word  than  that  now  invested 
with  the  governor's  derision. 

The  young  man's  face  settled  into  a  deeper  grav- 
ity. t(  I  wish  you  could  see  it  all  as  I,  who  have 
been  amongst  them,  see  it,  sir,"  he  said  at  length. 
"They  are  men,  I  am  convinced,  who  do  not  rebel 


"  CONCORD   WILL  NEVER  BE  CONQUERED."    2/3 

from  fancied  wrongs,  nor  from  any  lack  of  loyalty 
to  our  king,  but  from  a  deep-seated  conviction  of 
their  rights  invaded,  and  their  charters  infringed." 

"Hold!"  cried  the  governor  in  a  loud  tone; 
"why,  you  are  a  rebel  yourself,"  he  was  about  to 
add,  but  recollected  his  promise  in  time. 

Thornton  coolly  finished  the  words  for  him.  "  You 
were  going  to  say  that  I  was  as  bad  a  rebel  as  any 
of  these  —  but  you  had  not  heard  me  through.  I 
was  telling  you  the  state  of  affairs  seen  through 
their  eyes,  in  order  that  you  may  realize  that  it  is 
a  matter  of  conscience  with  them,  and  that  as  such 
we  must  recognize  the  fact  that  it  will  be  well-nigh 
impossible  to  conquer  them  by  mere  force." 

"  Nevertheless  it  shall  be  tried,"  said  the  gov- 
ernor under  his  breath. 

"  As  for  me,"  Thornton  drew  himself  up  to  his 
full  height,  "  I  am,  as  you  say,  an  English  gentle- 
man, born  and  bred  in  the  belief  of  the  divine 
right  of  kings.  This  is  enough." 

"  Quite,"   assented  Governor  Gage  dryly. 

"Would  it  not  be  possible,"  the  young  British 
officer  leaned  forward  and  searched  the  face  before 
him,  "  to  use  other  measures  to  induce  them  to  reason  ? 
Surely,  if  you  could  but  see  them  for  yourself,  you 
would  recognize  the  fact  that  they  are  easily  led. 


2/4      A    LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

It  is  by  no  means  too  late  to  try  conciliation.  There 
are  many  honorable  ways  of  bringing  this  about,  and 
retaining  our  hold  upon  the  Colonies,  and  "  — 

But  he  got  no  farther.  "  Young  man,"  thundered 
the  governor,  "  you  are  now  transcending  your  prov- 
ince. Verily,  this  is  an  unusual  thing  from  one  so 
young  as  you,  to  be  thus  in  conference  with  the 
chief  executive,  and  you  must  not  overstep  the  priv- 
ilege." 

"  I  was  sought,"  said  Thornton  with  hauteur. 
"Otherwise,  you  are  quite  aware,  sir,  that  I  should 
never  have  intruded  myself  to  your  notice  or  your 
presence ; "  and  again  the  expression  of  contempt 
overspread  his  face. 

"  Quite  true.  Being  what  you  are,  I  have  gladly 
intrusted  to  you  this  important  work,  and  summoned 
you  to  confidential  conferences.  But  no  one  is 
allowed  to  overstep  the  bound,  nor  to  dictate  to  me, 
the  chief  executive,  the  best  way  to  deal  with  stiff- 
necked  and  rebellious  people." 

"  I  shall  not  be  likely  to  err  in  this  direction 
again,"  said  Thornton,  keeping  his  anger  down ;  "  I 
have  eased  my  mind,  and  spoken  freely  in  regard 
to  this  unhappy  estrangement  between  the  mother- 
country  and  her  American  Colonies.  I  have  given 
you  what  information  I  was  sent  to  obtain.  Now 


"CONCORD  WILL   NEVER  BE  CONQUERED."    2?$ 

I  will,  with  your  permission,  retire."  He  rose  and 
stood  before  the  governor. 

"  You  have  done  well  in  your  expeditions,  I  doubt 
not,"  replied  Governor  Gage,  endeavoring  to  re- 
cover his  usual  manner,  and -partially  succeeding; 
"  I  shall  doubtless  send  you  again  on  similar  ones. 
Meantime  gather  all  the  news  you  can,  from  what- 
ever source,  and  bring  me;  and  carry  away  with 
you,  Thornton,  from  this  interview,  only  my  un- 
bounded respect  and  affection.  Your  judgment  only 
is  at  fault." 

The  young  officer  bowed  himself  out,  and  motion- 
ing to  his  colored  servant,  rolling  his  eyes  in  stiff 
dignity  on  the  carved  oaken  chair,  to  follow  him, 
he  stalked  down  the  street. 

"Golly,  massa,"  said  Pompey,  shambling  after,  "I 
hain't  gotter  tell  tings  you  brung  me  up  to  the  big 
house  fer,  —  about  Capen  James  and  the  stuff  he's 
keerin'  fer,  and  all  the  rest?  Hee-hee,  dis  nigger's 
glad!" 

"  No,  you  villain !  "  The  young  lieutenant  turned 
suddenly  and  let  his  boot  fly.  Over  rolled  the 
darkey,  clapping  his  hand  to  his  shin.  He  had  met 
his  Waterloo  again. 


2/6      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 


XIX. 

USHERING    IN    THE    YEAR   OF    LIBERTY. 

MIDWINTER  was  fairly  begun,  ushering  in  the 
year  of  liberty.  It  was  of  January,  1775. 
Around  the  old  church  of  Concord  Town  there 
was  a  great  stir.  From  the  groups  of  men,  old  and 
young,  gathered  out  of  the  whole  countryside,  it  was 
easy  to  discover  by  the  fragments  of  conversation,  that 
an  event  of  unusual  importance  was  about  to  happen. 
There  were  exhibitions  here  and  there  of  powder- 
horns  handed  about  from  one  to  the  other.  Now  and 
then  an  old  musket  appeared  that  seemed  to  have  done 
duty  in  the  Indian  raids,  or  in  shooting  bears  on 
some  lonely  farm  ;  and  great  was  the  envy  and  pride 
on  the  countenances,  as  these  articles  were  displayed 
by  their  owners  and  passed  along.  Those  who  were 
less  fortunate,  slapped  their  breeches  pockets,  and 
guessed  they  could  raise  enough  to  buy  their  accoutre- 
ments. Some  few  hung  their  heads,  until  assured  that 
the  town  had  promised  to  buy  the  guns  for  men  un- 
able to  furnish  them ;  then  their  spirits  revived. 


USHERING  IN  THE    YEAR   OF  LIBERTY.      277 

"  Hush,  here  he  comes."  The  young  pastor,  fair 
and  slender,  came  down  the  road,  his  Bible  under  his 
arm.  His  step  was  springing,  and  there  was  that  in 
his  air  that  gave  courage  to  the  waiting  men  and  the 
outer  fringe  of  people,  like  the  blast  of  a  trumpet ; 
and  they  all  filed  in  and  took  their  seats  in  the  big 
square  pews,  while  he  mounted  the  pulpit  steps,  con- 
vinced that  the  enlistment  to  follow  the  meeting,  was 
to  be  a  whole-souled  movement. 

Simon  and  Jabez  crowded  up  into  a  front  seat. 
There  was  old  Daddy  Fairbanks,  well  along  in  his 
eighties,  hurrying  after.  "  Move  up,  boys,"  he  quav- 
ered, with  kindling  eye,  and  he  dropped  into  a  seat 
beside  them;  "I  want  to  be  a-settin'  up  high,  so  's  to 
be  one  o'  the  fust  to  get  my  name  writ  down." 

Here  was  Abner  Butterfield,  whose  right  hand  ner- 
vously fingered  the  grand'ther's  musket  he  bore. 
This  had  been  at  Louisburg,  and  Abner  meant  it  to 
tell  more  tales  before  he  got  through  with  it.  And 
here,  crowding  his  toes,  and  shoving  his  long  figure, 
was  the  ubiquitous  boy  of  Concord  Town,  standing 
up  big  and  straight,  ready  to  demand  the  privilege  of 
"jining  the  comp'ny."  They  were  all  there,  old  and 
young,  big  and  little,  from  this  and  the  neighbor- 
ing towns,  drawn  to  the  great  meeting  when  their 
revered  pastor  was  to  preach,  to  be  followed  by  the 


2/8      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

raising  of  the  minute  company  to  defend  their  rights 
as  freemen. 

The  long  sermon  has  begun,  from  Psalm  Ixiii.  2. 
"  To  see  thy  power  and  thy  glory,  so  as  I  have  seen 
thee  in  the  sanctuary."  Not  a  word  is  missed.  No 
one  thinks  of  fatigue.  Solemnly  every  word  is  taken 
in  by  the  absorbed,  attentive  listeners.  Brought  up 
as  they  were  to  attend  divine  service  on  each  Lord's 
Day,  and  feeling  it  a  sin  and  a  shame  to  begin  any- 
thing without  the  blessing  of  the  God  of  their  fath- 
ers, these  men  and  boys  look  upon  this  effort  of  the 
preacher  as  the  only  proper  step  to  their  induction 
into  the  ranks  of  the  fighters.  And  they  drink 
eagerly  in  every  word,  only  drawing  a  long  breath  of 
delight  when  the  regulations  are  to  be  signed,  and 
the  real  enlisting  is  begun. 

Sixty  came  forward,  many  of  them  being  either  too 
old  or  too  young  to  go  into  the  militia,  and  signed 
their  names  to  the  following  regulations,  or  agree- 
ments :  — 

"  i.  We,  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed,  will,  to 
the  utmost  of  our  power,  defend  his  Majesty,  King  George 
the  Third,  his  person,  crown,  and  dignity. 

"  2.  We  will  at  the  same  time,  to  the  utmost  of  our 
power  and  abilities,  defend  all  and  every  of  our  charter 
rights,  liberties,  and  privileges ;  and  will  hold  ourselves  in 


USHERING  IN   THE    YEAR   OF  LIBERTY,      279 

readiness  at  a  minute's  warning  with  arms  and  ammunition 
thus  to  do. 

"3.  We  will  at  all  times  and  in  all  places  obey  our  offi- 
cers chosen  by  us,  and  our  superior  officers,  in  ordering 
and  disciplining  us,  when  and  where  said  officers  shall 
think  proper." 

Debby  Parlin  sat  with  her  mates,  and  between  Mills- 
cent  Barrett  and  Perces  Wood.  Her  tired  hands,  freed 
from  toil  for  this  brief  respite,  for  everybody  went 
to  the  meeting,  and  no  one  thought  of  working  any 
more  than  on  a  Sabbath  day,  rested  in  the  palms  of  the 
girls  beside  her.  A  gentle  pressure,  every  now  and 
then,  from  Miliscent's  warm,  sympathetic  fingers,  and 
a  glance  from  the  soft,  dark  eye,  told  how  keenly  the 
heart  of  her  friend  was  bearing  the  sorrow  fallen  upon 
the  young  life.  Perces  held  the  poor,  toil-marked 
fingers ;  but  she  sat  bolt  upright,  as  was  her  wont, 
and  stared  religiously  up  into  the  minister's  face. 
Yet  Debby  knew  the  current  under  the  still  surface, 
and  was  content. 

The  enlisting  went  on  rapidly,  with  a  promise  of 
more  names  to  follow,  which  was  afterward  fulfilled, 
one  hundred  joining  the  ranks,  so  that  the  number 
was  divided,  making  two  companies,  one  of  which 
was  called  The  Alarm  Company. 

When  it  was  all  over,  and  the  newly  enlisted  men 


28O      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

and  boys  had  marched  off  to  consider  ways  and 
means  for  active  work,  Debby  turned  her  pale  face 
to  Miliscent,  and  drew  a  long  breath.  "  I've  got 
something  to  tell  you ;  and  I  want  you  and  Perces  to 
come  out  into  the  burying-ground,  but  not  the  other 
girls." 

"  Come  on,  Debby,"  called  one  of  these  last,  as 
they  filed  out  of  church  with  that  feeling  that,  after 
such  an  unusual  event,  the  hours  to  follow  till  sun- 
down should  be  free  from  work.  "You  can't  settle 
down  to  anything.  Nobody's  going  home  yet." 

"You  forget  I  have  mother;  she'll  be  lonely,"  said 
Debby,  in  the  quiet  way  that  was  hers  now.  "  But  I 
must  speak  to  Miliscent  and  Perces  first;  don't  be 
angry  with  me,  girls,"  she  added  pleadingly. 

"  We  ain't  mad/'  said  Louisa  quickly,  as  she  looked 
into  the  pale  face.  "Come  away,"  and  she  led  off 
the  others,  who  were  longing  to  add  themselves  to 
Debby's  company. 

"Now,  girls,"  up  in  the  old  hill  burying-ground, 
Debby  stopped  abruptly  and  faced  them,  "  I've  got 
something  on  my  mind,  and  you  must  help  me." 

Neither  girl  spoke.  Debby  was  always  sure  to  dis- 
close everything  in  regular  fashion,  and  much  better 
if  not  interrupted.  But  she  hesitated  so  long-  now 
that  Miliscent  said,  "Well?" 


USHERING   IN   THE    YEAR    OF  LIBERTY.      28 1 

"  I  am  going  to  search  for  my  father,"  said  Debby 
abruptly,  pale  and  red  by  turns. 

"  Deborah  Parlin  ! "  exclaimed  both  girls  at  once. 
Such  a  thing  had  never  been  heard  of  in  those  days 
as  a  girl's  going  away  from  home,  alone,  and  into  un- 
known spots ;  and  they  stared  at  her,  after  that  first 
explosion  of  surprise,  in  dumb  amazement. 

"  I  surely  am,"  declared  Debby  in  clear-cut,  low 
tones.  "  You  know,  girls,  it  is  useless  to  say  any- 
thing, for  my  mind  is  made  up." 

"  But  you  cannot  go,"  cried  Miliscent,  off  her  guard, 
and  not  realizing  that  this  was  not  the  way  to  deal 
with  one  of  Debby's  make-up.  "  I  never  heard  of  such 
a  thing ;  nobody  has.  Why,  what  could  you  do,  De- 
borah Parlin  ? "  She  folded  her  hands  imploringly. 

"  I  can  search  for  my  father,"  repeated  Debby  in 
lower  tones,  but  ringing  with  determination.  "  Girls, 
do  you  either  of  you  know  what  it  is  to  be  without 
a  father  ? "  Her  head  sunk  to  her  bosom,  but  her 
eyes  were  dry. 

"  You  poor  thing ! "  Miliscent  threw  both  arms 
around  her,  and  strained  her  to  her  breast.  "  Oh ! 
you  know  how  we  love  you,  how  everybody  loves  you, 
Debby.  And  we  just  long  to  do  something  for  you. 
But  to  go  off  for  your  father  —  you  don't  in  the  least 
know  where  he  is.  What  will  become  of  you  ?  And 


282      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

then  we  need  you  to  make  the  cartridges.  Oh,  dear, 
dear !  give  it  up,  dear  Debby,  do."  She  caressed  and 
mourned  over  her  and  pleaded,  Perces  standing  stiff 
and  tall  and  silent. 

"  Perces,  do  say  something  to  get  this  idea  out  of 
her  head,  and  not  stand  like  a  stick  or  a  stone,"  at 
last  cried  Miliscent  impatiently. 

"  I  think  Debby  is  right  to  go,"  said  Perces  de- 
cidedly, and  not  moving  a  muscle. 

"  Perces  Wood  !  I  wonder  what  your  father  would 
say  if  he  knew  you  encouraged  Debby  to  leave  her 
home  and  go  on  such  a  dreadfully  risky  piece  of 
work,"  cried  Miliscent  angrily. 

"I'm  not  encouraging  her,"  declared  Perces  stol- 
idly. "You  wanted  me  to  speak,  and  I'm  going  to 
tell  the  truth.  I  think  she  ought  to  go." 

"  Perces  —  Perces  !  "  cried  Debby  convulsively, 
amid  a  rain  of  tears.  Seeing  this,  Miliscent  in  a  dum- 
founded  way  began  to  pet  her.  But  she  clung  to 
the  big,  stolid  girl. 

"  You  will  some  time  be  glad  that  I  advised  you," 
said  Miliscent,  standing  off  in  a  grand  way,  deter- 
mined now  to  do  the  heroics.  "  Well,  good-by,  Deb- 
orah Parlin,"  and  she  turned  her  back  on  the  two, 
"if  you  wish  to  desert  your  work  on  the  cartridges 
for  a  useless  search." 


I'SHERIXG   IN   THE    YEAR    OF  LIBERTY.      283 

'•'  Miliscent !  "  Debby  flung  herself  after  her.  "  You 
don't  know  how  you  are  hurting  me,  when  I  think 
I  must  give  up  my  work  on  the  cartridges.  Stop,  not 
another  word,  I  know  God  wants  me  to  search  for  my 
father.  He  will  take  care  of  me.  O  girls,  girls  !  "  — 
she  had  dragged  Miliscent  back  to  Perces  standing 
still,  as  she  spoke,  and  she  now  laid  a  hand  on  the 
arm  of  each  girl,  —  "I  must  find  my  father,  or  I  shall 
die."  Every  bit  of  color  had  fled  from  her  face ;  and 
her  hood,  falling  back,  disclosed  her  thin  cheeks  with 
the  hollows  under  the  blue  eyes.  ''  Think  what  it  is 
to  see  each  day  go  by  and  get  no  tidings  from  him.  I 
must  bring  him  back." 

"  You  seem  to  feel  that  he's  alive,  Debby,"  said 
Miliscent,  catching  her  breath  at  the  misery  of  the 
young  face  before  her.  "  He's  probably  dead,  dear, 
long  before  this,  or  he  would  have  come  home.  So 
there  is  no  use  in  your  risking  your  life,  as  you  surely 
will,  I  feel,  in  going  on  such  a  wild  errand." 

Debby  turned  and  looked  at  her,  but  did  not  release 
her  hold  on  the  arm.  What'would  the  girls  do  if  they 
knew  that  her  father  was  a  Tory !  She  almost  felt  like 
a  traitor,  to  be  accepting  their  affection  and  confidence. 

"If  he  were  dead,"  she  said  solemnly,  "I  would 
not  mourn,  but  take  it  as  the  will  of  God.  I  must 
bring  back  mv  ^ther." 


284      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"I  see  there  is  no  use  in  talking,"  said  Miliscent 
with  a  break  in  her  voice,  "  and  that  you  are  going. 
Forgive  me  for  what  I  said."  The  tears  gushed  from 
her  eyes,  and  she  fell  on  Debby's  neck  with  many 
sobs. 

"  You  didn't  mean — you  cannot  know,"  said  Debby, 
"  unless  you  had  it  to  bear  yourself,  what  it  is  to  live 
through  —  O  Miliscent  1  O  Perces!  if  you  will  only 
help  me  in  this  one  thing." 

They  hung  on  her  words,  one  tearful  and  sympa- 
thetic, the  other  stolid  and  with  dry  eyes. 

"  Just  go  as  often  as  you  can,  without  neglecting  the 
cartridges,  to  see  mother"  —  Debby's  lips  trembled  — 
"  and  the  children.  They've  learned  many  nice  ways 
since  Mrs.  Butterfield  took  them  for  a  visit;  and  they're 
handy  about  the  house,  so  she  won't  miss  me  much 
about  the  work.  But  she's  lonely  in  her  mind,  and 
you  know  she  never  goes  out;  and  oh!  I'm  so  worried 
about  her."  And  the  white  face  was  overcast  by  a 
cloud.  Perces  spoke  up. 

"Don't  you  worry.  I'm  a-going  down  there  to  stay. 
You  know  I'm  so  slow  I'm  no  good  on  the  cartridges.'' 

"Perces!"  it  was  now  Debby's  turn  to  be  aston- 
ished. As  for  Miliscent  she  sank  down  on  one  of 
the  graves,  and  clung  to  the  tombstone  in  amaze- 
ment. 


a    § 


-    -I? 


USHERING  IN  THE    YEAR   OF  LIBERTY.       285 

"Mother  doesn't  need  me,"  Perces  was  saying 
steadily.  "She's  got  Betsy  Higgins  there  now  ;  she's 
had  to  give  up  her  farm,  you  know,  and  father  told  her 
to  come  to  our  house.  And  I'm  really  no  good  on 
the  cartridges;  so  I'll  just  go  and  see  after  your  ma, 
Debby,  and  you  can  go  off  easy  in  your  mind,''  she 
added,  with  the  air  of  a  woman  of  forty,  who  was 
accustomed  to  settle  big  matters  every  day. 

Miliscent  peeped  behind  the  tombstone  and  gazed 
at  her.  Debby  had  seized  her  hands,  "  O  you  Perces, 
you  good  Perces  ! "  and  was  laughing  and  crying  at 
one  and  the  same  time. 

"Perhaps  your  mother  won't  let  you  go,  Debby," 
said  Miliscent,  feeling  as  if  the  whole  world  were  up- 
side down,  and  she  had  no  bearings  at  all. 

"  She  will ;  she  knows  it  —  of  course  I  told  her  first," 
cried  Debby  breathlessly.  "  O  you  good  Perces  ! " 

"  Then  I  must  give  up,  and  let  you  go,"  said  Milis- 
cent with  a  sigh,  getting  up  and  shaking  the  damp 
mould  from  her  blue  stuff  gown.  "  And,  Debby,  since 
you  are  really  going,  I  promise  to  help  you  every 
single  bit  I  can  while  you  are  gone.  I  can't  go  to 
stay  all  the  time  at  your  house,"  —  with  a  pang  at  the 
thought  of  Perces's  happiness,  —  for  we've  such  loads 
of  children;  and  then  grandfather  and  grandmother 
expect  me  over  there  every  day  —  and  there  are  the 


286      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

cartridges.     But   every  minute    1    can   spare,  I'll  be 
down  to  see  your  mother.     O  Debby ! '' 

She  fell  on  her  neck  again,  but  this  time  without 
tears;  and  at  last,  as  the  sun  sank  down  behind  the 
hill,  they  parted,  and  went  their  several  ways. 

"  Mother,"  said  Perces  Wood,  going  straight  up  to 
the  matron's  side  when  they  were  alone  in  the  big 
kitchen,  "  Debby  Parlin  is  going  away  to  find  her 
father,  and  I  am  going  down  to  stay  with  her  mother. 
I  knew  you'd  let  me.  And  don't  let  us  tell  any  one." 

Mrs.  Wood  looked  up  at  her  daughter.  "Well, 
you  can  go,''  she  said  slowly,  after  a  while. 

"I  knew  you'd  let  me,"  said  Perces  in  a  matter- 
of-fact  way;  "and  so  I  told  Debby  this  afternoon." 

"But  as  for  not  telling  any  one,  we  shall  inform 
your  father,  of  course,"  -said  Mrs.  Wood,  feeling 
for  the  moment  younger  than  her  daughter,  and 
not  caring  to  show  in  the  presence  of  so  much  com- 
posure how  startled  she  was  at  this  news  of  Debby's 
plans.  Evidently  the  times  were  days  of  develop- 
ment for  the  girls,  who,  if  they  couldn't  fight,  could 
show  their  pluck  in  other  ways.  She  went  silently 
about  the  old  kitchen  with  many  conflicting  emo- 
tions within  her.  And  Perces,  as  if  such  things 
were  of  daily  settling,  put  up  the  supper  dishes  on 
the  dresser  with  her  usual  precision  and  slow  care. 


USHERING   IN   THE    YEAR    OF  LIBERTY.      287 

The  next  morning  she  put  on  her  hood  and  big 
shawl  and  went  out,  hearing  Betsy  Higgins  say, 
'•La,  where's  she  a-streakin'  it  to  now,  I  wonder," 
with  the  freedom  of  the  New  England  homestead, 
where  all  were  on  a  footing  of  equality.  But 
Betsy  got  no  reply,  Perces  felt  quite  sure,  as  no  one 
but  herself  knew  her  expedition,  her  mother  allow- 
ing it  without  asking  why. 

The  girl  kept  on  her  slow  and  steady  way,  till 
the  two  miles  between  the  Wood  mansion  and  her 
destination  were  traversed.  Then  she  turned  in  at 
the  Butterfield  farmyard,  and  rapped  at  the  big  green 
door. 

"  My  senses,  it's  Perces  Wood!"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Butterfield,  as  if  announcing  it  to  an  imaginary 
company.  "  Your  pa  out  in  the  waggin,  or  your 
ma  most  likely?"  craning  her  neck. 

"No,"  said  Perces;  "  I  came  on  foot  and  alone. 
I  want  to  see  Abner,  Mrs.  Butterfield." 

"  La,  well,  you  do  ? "  said  Abner's  mother,  much 
puzzled.  Perces  never  was  a  girl  to  run  after  the 
boys ;  but  here  she  was  now,  sure  enough.  And 
Mrs.  Butterfield  began  to  draw  lively  conclusions 
of  the  motives  that  had  induced  rich  Mr.  Wood's 
daughter  to  travel  those  long  two  miles,  and  a  com- 
placent  smile  overspread  her  big  features  'at  the 


288      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

thought  of  so  much  appreciation  of  her  son.  "  Though 
I  always  knew  he  could  pick  and  choose  through  the 
hull  town.  But,  la  me  1  I  wouldn't  have  him  really 
marry  any  one  but  Debby,  bless  her  heart !  Ab-//<?r  /  " 
she  screamed  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs  leading  up  to 
the  corn-chamber,  while  Perces  waited  on  the  door- 
stone. 

"  You  ain't  goin'  in  in  that  rig,"  she  remonstrated, 
as  Abner  came  down  the  stairs  in  response  to  the 
summons ;  u  it's  the  Wood  girl,  an'  she  wants  to  see 
you.  Do  go  an'  slick  up  a  bit  —  I'll  keep  her  talkin'." 

But  Abner  pushed  past  her,  and  was  already  at  the 
door.  "  Did  you  want  to  see  me  1 "  There  were  dark 
hollows  under  his  heavy  eyes.  Mrs.  Butterfield  fol- 
lowed heavily  after. 

"  I  want  to  see  Abner  alone,"  said  Perces,  quite  com- 
posed, and  with  no  circumlocutory  effort. 

"  This  way,  then."  Abner  was  about  to  fling  wide 
the  keeping-room  door ;  but  remembering  with  a  pang 
the  night  that  Debby  had  given  therein  her  confidence 
touching  Tory  Lee,  he  closed  it  hastily.  "  You  can 
tell  me  out  here,"  he  said ;  and  they  stepped  beneath 
the  large  oak  just  on  the  edge  of  the  house-place,  Mrs. 
Butterfield,  as  on  that  other  occasion,  left  in  thwarted 
curipsity — this  time,  however,  with  the  satisfaction 
born  of  the  fact  that  she  could  command  a  good  view 


USHERING  IN  THE    YEAR   OF  LIBERTY.      289 

from  the  kitchen  window  of  all  that  went  on  under  the 
oak. 

"  It  don't  look  like  love-making,"  she  soliloquized, 
as  she  peered  out  — "  and  of  all  beings,  Perces  Wood, 
who's  as  stiddy  as  a  clock.  But  then  you  can't  ever 
tell  about  these  girls  —  an'  no  wonder  they  are  crazy 
about  my  Abner ;  an'  these  quiet  ones  are  the  most 
dangerous,  I  reckon.  Well,  she  sha'n't  get  him  away 
from  Debby.  She'll  have  me  to  tackle  first." 

Outside,  Perces  was  saying  in  a  matter-of-fact  way, 
and  looking  straight  in  the  young  man's  face,  "  Debby 
Parlin  is  going  to  look  for  her  father.  I  thought  I'd 
tell  you,  but  no  one  else  is  to  know.  Good-day ; " 
and  she  trudged  down  the  path,  and  out  the  gate- 
way. 

"Well,  if  ever  I  see  anything  more  sing'lar  in  all 
my  born  days ;  she  hain't  had  time  to  say  a  dozen 
words  skeercely,  and  gone,  an'  he  a-standin'  there  as 
if  struck  dumb."  Mrs.  Butterfield  hurried  to  the  door. 
"  Abater  f"  she  called.  "  What  did  she  want  ?  " 

Abner  started,  and  passed  his  hand  over  his  fore- 
head. "  Oh !  you  heard  Perces  say  that  she  must  tell 
me  alone,  mother." 

Then  Mrs.  Butterfield's  thoughts  deserted  their  first 
charge  and  flew,  as  they  ever  must,  to  the  impending 
dangers.  "  Did  Mr.  Wood  send  her  ? "  she  demanded 


290      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

hoarsely.     "  It's  something  about  the  Britishers  com- 
ing, I  know." 

"  Nothing  of  the  sort,"  denied  Abner  shortly,  turn- 
ing on  his  heel,  and  wishing  the  war  only  would  com- 
mence, to  give  his  .torturing  thoughts  something  to 
dwell  on  that  could  lead  him  into  action. 


A   SEARCH   THROUGH  BOSTON   TOWN.      29 1 


XX. 

A   SEARCH   THROUGH    BOSTON   TOWN. 

ALOW  knock  sounded  on  the  green  door  of  the 
Parlin  cottage  that  evening.  Debby  took  up 
the  candle,  and  went  out  into  the  little  entry.  As  she 
lifted  the  latch  a  sudden  gust  of  wind  blew  the  door 
wide,  and  extinguished  the  light. 

"  Don't  be  scared,"  said  a  voice. 

"  Oh  !  is  that  you,  Jim  ?  "  said  Debby. 

"  Yes ;  but  don't  be  scared.  I  say,  Debby,  I've 
come  to  tell  you  something  before  I'm  off.  Can  you 
trust  me  to  shut  that  door  and  step  outside  a  minute  ?  '' 

Debby  closed  the  door  back  of  her,  and  followed 
Jim  to  a  little  distance  from  the  cottage,  where  he 
paused.  There  was  no  moon  ;  but  the  sky  above  was 
studded  with  brilliants,  and  the  air,  despite  the  sea- 
son, was  soft  and  balmy. 

"  What  is  it  ? "  asked  Debby  patiently.  "  If  you  have 
anything  to  tell  me,  Jim,  say  it  at  once,  or  I  shall  go 
back  to  the  house." 

Jim  seemed   to  find  great   difficulty  in  beginning. 


2Q2      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

He  cleared  his  throat  several  times,  and  at  last  blurted 
out  in  sheer  desperation.  "  I'm  awfully  sorry  I  treated 
you  so,  Debby,  but "  — 

"  If  that  is  all  you  have  come  to  say,  you  might  well 
have  remained  at  home,"  said  Debby  in  scornful  dig- 
nity, and  moving  off  toward  the  cottage. 

"Well,  it  ain't,"  cried  Jim  hastily;  "but  I  wanted 
to  get  that  off  my  mind  first.  I'm  powerful  sorry, 
Debby;  but  I  had  to,  for  fear  you'd  tell  on  us,  and 
spoil  the  job.  Don't  you  believe  I'm  sorry  ? " 

"  Let  that  pass,"  said  Debby,  arresting  her  footsteps 
at  the  suggestion  of  some  other  piece  of  information 
weighing  on  Jim's  mind.  What  if  he  should  know 
anything  of  her  father  ?  flashed  through  her  mind,  al- 
ways on  the  alert  for  chance  news  of  the  absent  one. 

"  I  was  run  into  Ab  Butterfield's  house  the  day  they 
seized  me  at  the  Common  to  tar  and  feather  and 
duck  me,"  said  Jim  suddenly  in  a  burst.  "  He  saved 
me ;  blast  him,  I'd  rather  'a'  been  saved  by  any  one 
else  than  Ab.  I've  been  hid  away  since;  and,  as  it 
ain't  healthy  for  me  to  be  seen  around  these  parts, 
I've  streaked  it  over  here  at  night  to  see  you,  for  I 
don't  want  you  to  think  altogether  bad  of  me,  Debby. 
I'm  in  Boston  Town,  where  there's  lots  o'  Tories  to 
keep  me  comp'ny.  Now,  before  I  go  back,  I'm  goin' 
to  set  your  mind  at  rest  somewhat  about  your  father. 


A   SEARCH   THROUGH  BOSTON   TOWN.      2Q3 

Don't  you  worry  a  mite  about  him ;  he's  prob'ly 
joined  the  Reg'lars." 

A  low  cry  broke  from  Debby's  lips.  "  O  Jim ! 
anything  but  that ! "  moaned  the  girl,  clasping  her 
hands,  and  gazing  up  to  the  myriad  lights  above,  with 
anguished  eyes.  "  If  you  told  me  that  he  was  dead, 
and  up  in  yonder  sky,  I  would  not  mourn  ;  but  to  take 
up  arms  against  his  country,  O  my  God!  my  God !  " 

Jim  trembled  like  an  aspen  leaf  to  hear  her ;  and  he 
managed  to  say,  "  Don't  mind  it  so,  Debby,  lots  o' 
good  men  are  Loyalists ;  "  drawing  near  as  he  did  so, 
with  the  vain  hope  of  comfort. 

It  was  at  this  instant  that  a  tall,  square-shouldered 
figure  stepped  upon  the  soft  greensward  behind  the 
big  elm  just  within  the  Parlin  enclosure.  Abner  But- 
terfield  had  mastered  his  fear  that  Debby  would  be 
displeased  at  his  intrusion  upon  the  grief  and  shame 
overwhelming  her  at  her  father's  treachery  to  his 
country,  and  had  followed  the  instincts  of  his  heart 
bounding  toward  her  at  Perces's  disclosure  ;  and  here 
he  was,  to  give  her  what  comfort  he  could.  When  he 
caught  sight  of  Jim,  standing  with  her  in  the  even- 
ing shadow,  in  an  apparently  confidential  attitude  of 
complete  understanding,  he  could  not  believe  his  eyes. 
He  had  not  seen  Jim  since  he  had  slipped  off  one 
night,  weeks  before,  from  the  Eutterfield  homestead. 


294      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

But  a  second  view,  and  Jim's  voice,  now  sympathetic 
and  confident,  left  him  no  room  for  hope.  Stung  to  the 
quick,  he  started  back,  and  strode  off  into  the  night. 

"  Speak  not  to  me  of  good  men  who  are  Tories," 
cried  Debby  in  passionate  accents.  "  There  can  be 
no  forgiveness  for  a  traitor.  O  father,  father !  " 

Jim  twisted  uneasily  from  one  foot  to  another. 
"  I'll  tell  you  the  man  who  put  him  up  to  it,"  at  last 
he  said,  determined  to  make  a  clean  breast  of  the 
whole  matter.  "  It  was  the  same  one  who  made  me 
see  things  as  they  be.  He  was  a  peddler,  but  an 
awful  smart  fellow,  and  he  opened  my  eyes." 

Debby's  white  face  was  upturned  to  the  glowing 
heavens ;  her  lips  moved,  but  no  words  came. 

"Well,  some  day  maybe  you'll  see  it,  when  the 
tussle  is  over,  and  the  British  have  whipped  us  out 
o'  our  boots,  as  they're  bound  to  do.  Then  your 
father's  being  a  Tory,  is  what'll  save  you,  Debby 
Parlin." 

She  did  not  even  hear  him,  but  in  agonized  accents 
was  begging  piteously  for  some  clew  to  her  father's 
whereabouts. 

"  I  d'no  any  more'n  the  dead  where  he  is,"  declared 
Jim  desperately ;  "  on  my  soul  I  wish  I  could  help  you. 
'Twas  a  good  many  weeks  back  I  run  across  him 
suddint  like.  An'  he  told  me  he  was  goin'  to  join  the 


A   SEARCH   THROUGH  BOSTON  TOWN.      295 

Reg'lars.  I  hain't  seen  him  since.  It'll  be  your  sal- 
vation if  he  does;  an'  you  ought  to  know  it,  Debby 
Parlin." 

With  a  low  cry  of  despair,  she  went  swiftly  into  the 
cottage,  and  up  to  her  little  room  under  the  eaves, 
where  she  flung  herself  on  her  knees  with  only  God 
to  comfort. 

It  was  morning  in  Boston  Town.  The  unrest  per- 
vading all  classes  was  visible  to  any  chance  observer, 
who  met  every  few  steps  of  his  way  the  British  soldier, 
insolent  with  gun  and  bayonet ;  the  youth  of  the  town 
wild  with  repressed  indignation  ;  the  grave  and  deter- 
mined Patriot ;  and  the  ardent  Loyalist,  bitter  and 
outspoken.  The  Common,  white  with  the  encamped 
army  of  the  invaders,  was  alert  with  military  activity, 
having  within  its  borders  the  Fourth,  Fifth,  Thirty- 
eighth  and  Forty-fifth  Regiments,  together  with 
twenty-two  pieces  of  cannon,  and  three  companies  of 
artillery. 

"  And  over  all  the  open  green, 

Where  grazed  of  late  the  harmless  kine, 
The  cannon's  deepening  ruts  are  seen, 

The  war-horse  stamps,  the  bayonets  shine." 

Within  the  limits  of  the  town,  the  Tory  party,  en- 
deavoring to  secure  followers,  and  driven,  many  of 
them,  from  their  homes  in  the  countryside  by  indig- 


2Q6      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

nant  fellow-citizens,  was  rapidly  taking  refuge,  and 
swelling  the  tide  of  bitterness  against  the  Patriots, 
toward  whom  there  was  now  nothing  but  open  abuse 
by  the  tongue  of  the  most  virulent  sort. 

While  the  British  coffee-house  on  King  Street, 
opposite  the  Custom  House,  was  the  resort  of  the 
high  Tories  and  the  British  officers,  the  Green  Dragon 
Tavern  on  Green  Dragon  Lane  was  the  meeting- 
ground  of  the  Patriots.  It  was  "in  front  a  two-story 
building  with  a  pitch  roof,  but  of  greater  elevation  in 
the  rear ;  and  over  the  entrance  an  iron  rod  projected, 
and  upon  it  was  crouched  the  copper  dragon  which 
was  the  tavern's  sign."  Here,  among  others,  assem- 
bled Paul  Revere,  with  a  band  of  thirty  men,  mostly 
mechanics,  who  volunteered  to  keep  watch  of  the 
movements  of  the  British,  and  did  so  during  1774- 

'775- 

As  Governor  Gage  felt  his  power  over  the  people 
daily  lessening  to  the  precincts  of  Boston  and  Salem, 
then  the  seat  of  government,  he  confined  himself  in 
his  futile  rage  and  chagrin  to  the  completion  of  the 
fortifications  on  the  Neck,  and  raising  the  general 
standard  of  the  British  army  in  quality  and  accoutre- 
ments, and  thus  getting  ready  for  decisive  action  in 
the  matter  of  subjugating  the  rebels.  Accordingly 
the  British  vessels  continued  to  discharge  their  relays 


A   SEARCH  THROUGH  BOSTON   TOWN.      297 

in  the  harbor  of  "the  flower  of  the  English  army,"  till 
the  old  staid  town  began  to  literally  bloom  into  color, 
as  the  men,  gay  with  their  scarlet  and  gold  and  mili- 
tary trappings,  marched  hither  and  yon  along  her 
streets.  The  barracks  were  full  to  overflowing,  and 
all  things  seemed  ripe  for  the  downfall  of  the  Patriots. 
But  despite  the  fact  that  there  was  within  her  borders 
all  royal  authority, — the  king's  governor,  the  king's 
judges,  and  the  king's  army,  —  all  of  these  combined 
had  not  been  able  to  make  the  courts  to  sit,  nor  the 
jurors  to  serve,  while  the  people  steadfastly  refused  to 
obey.  The  Massachusetts  Assembly,  being  repulsed 
by  Governor  Gage  at  the  Salem  court-house,  had  been 
equal  to  the  emergency;  and  going  off  to  Concord 
Town,  had  continued  the  Provincial  Congress,  elect- 
ing their  own  officers,  and  showing  themselves  capable 
of  taking  care  of  the  interests  committed  to  them,  and 
in  full  accord  with  the  Continental  Congress  at  Phila- 
delphia. The  minute-men  were  forming  in  the  various 
country  towns,  while  the  ranks  of  the  militia  were  rap- 
idly filling  up.  "Forward  for  liberty!"  and  "Down 
with  oppression!"  were  the  watchwords.  "We  will 
stand  by  our  chartered  rights!  "  was  the  ultimatum 
of  the  people;  and  when  the  people  make  a  stand,  it 
is  useless  for  a  king  to  speak. 
A  young  girl  in  a  blue  stuff  gown,  and  hood 


298      A    LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

drawn  well  over  her  face,  and  a  packet  on  her  arm, 
was  wending  her  way  along  the  roadway,  entering 
the  town  on  this  spring  morning.  It  was  easy  to 
see  that  she  was  from  the  country,  not  so  much  by 
the  free  spring  of  her  foot  that  bespoke  the  field 
and  the  meadow,  as  by  a  certain  innocent  grace  of 
each  movement,  and  the  modesty  of  her  bearing. 
She  addressed  no  one  to  inquire  the  way;  yet  a  keen 
observer  could  have  told  that  this  was  first  time 
she  had  trod  this  thoroughfare,  and  that  hitherto 
she  had  been  a  stranger  to  the  town.  Yet  there 
was  no  uncertainty  in  her  demeanor,  nor  aught  of 
perplexity,  as  she  went  calmly  on  her  way,  appar- 
ently not  noticing  many  curious  glances  cast  upon 
her  from  the  passers-by.  At  last,  when  well  within 
the  borders  of  the  town,  she  halted,  and  drew  from 
her  packet  a  small  paper. 

"  I  would  better  ask  the  way  to  Dame  Barker's 
house,"  she  said  to  herself,  "than  to  waste  time  in 
trying  to  find  it.  I  will  inquire  of  the  next  person 
I  meet,  if  the  face  warrants  it." 

But  the  next  persons  were  two  British  soldiers,  who 
stared  at  her  in  a  way  to  bring  the  pink  color  to  her 
cheeks  as  she  haughtily  passed  by ;  they  endeavored 
to  look  within  her  hood,  and  playfully  challenged  her 
with  their  muskets,  calling  her  '"Pretty  Rebel''  mean- 


A    SEARCH   THROUGH  BOSTON   TOWN.      299 

while.  But  Debby  bit  her  lips  together,  and  decided 
to  go  on  her  way  by  the  guidance  of  her  own  mind 
and  intuitions.  With  a  bosom  swelling  with  the  in- 
dignities pressed  upon  her,  and  upon  all  other  Patri- 
ots, she  passed  on,  careless  of  the  direction  her  steps 
were  leading  her,  until  she  looked  up.  She  was  on 
King  Street,  and  beneath  the  windows  of  the  British 
coffee-house. 

A  party  of  young  British  officers  was  descending 
the  steps.  Back  of  them  stood  some  florid-faced, 
older  men,  who  had  evidently  been  but  shortly  de- 
tached from  the  card-table  and  the  punch-bowl. 
She  paused  involuntarily,  her  feet  refusing  to  carry 
her  farther,  as  her  eye  rested  on  the  foremost  fig- 
ure of  a  tall  and  slender  young  man.  In  this  instant 
of  time  his  piercing  dark  eyes  had  met  hers;  and 
despite  his  gorgeous  uniform,  gay  in  scarlet  and  gold, 
that  set  off  his  dark,  refined  face  and  tall,  slender 
figure,  she  knew  she  was  looking  at  "the  peddler." 
In  the  next,  he  was  talking  and  laughing  with  the 
bevy,  his  back  to  her,  while  he  pointed  up  King 
Street,  directing  the  attention  of  his  comrades  thither 
as  the  direction  they  should  take. 

"Stay  a  bit,"  called  one  of  the  florid-faced  Eng- 
lishmen on  the  steps;  "there's  a  deucedly  pretty 
little  rebel,"  pointing  to  the  young  girl.  "  Come 


30O      A    LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

back,  Thornton  and  Herford,  and  you  other  fellows," 
as  they  were  moving  off.  "  Don't  turn  your  backs 
on  the  little  beauty." 

Thus  summoned,  the  men  glanced  back,  particu- 
larly one  of  their  number,  who  had  seen  for  himself. 
"  Come  on,"  said  Thornton  sternly,  "Harlow  is  deep 
in  his  cups.  Don't  sink  so  low  as  to  listen  to  him." 

"Verily,  she  is  a  beauty,"  said  the  one  who  had 
noticed  her  first,  and  taking  a  few  steps  toward 
Debby's  side,  who  still  stood  as  if  paralyzed,  with 
heart  beating  fast  in  her  bosom.  Oh!  if  the  men 
would  only  go  away,  and  let  her  ask  this  young 
British  soldier  who  had  it  in  his  power  to  tell  her 
where  her  father  was ! 

"  Fair  maiden,  where  do  you  come  from  ?  "  queried 
the  young  man  who  had  turned  back,  now  putting 
himself  directly  in  Debby's  way;  the  older  men  on 
the  steps  thrust  their  hands  in  their  pockets  and 
smiled  to  see  the  encounter,  some  going  down  to  the 
pavement  to  get  a  nearer  view  of  the  pretty  stranger. 

Thornton  wheeled  suddenly.  "This  is  dastardly!" 
he  exclaimed,  without  a  glance  at  the  girl.  "  Are 
ye  Englishmen?"  he  cried,  his  eyes  blazing.  "Well 
would  it  be  for  our  country  if  she  could  call  you  all 
by  any  other  name." 

Young  Herford  by  his  side  sprang  into  the  circle. 


A   SEARCH  THROUGH  BOSTON    TOWN.      30 1 

"Shame  on  you  for  Englishmen!"  he  exclaimed,  his 
hot  blood  in  his  boyish  cheeks;  "let  the  maiden  go, 
and  molest  her  not  by  idle  talk." 

Debby  had  by  this  time  regained  her  composure; 
and  she  stood  pale,  but  dignified  as  an  angry  goddess, 
viewing  them  all  with  clear,  undaunted  eyes,  till  they 
quailed,  and  with  a  foolish  laugh  backed  off  up  the 
steps,  averring  that  Thornton  with  his  deuced  scruples 
was  carrying  matters  with  too  high  a  hand  for  their 
liking. 

"Whoever  you  may  be,"  said  Thornton  to  Debby, 
looking  full  at  her,  but  with  a  glance  that  betrayed 
no  knowledge  of  ever  having  seen  her  before,  "  I 
would  warn  you  that  it  is  unsafe  for  a  maiden  who  is 
a  stranger  to  go  unattended  upon  the  streets  of  Bos- 
ton Town  at  this  troubled  time.  I  pray  you,  take  my 
advice,  and  return  to  your  home." 

Debby  turned  a  white  face  to  him,  and  was  on  the 
point  of  crying  through  ashen  lips,  "  My  father,  can 
you  tell  me  aught  of  him  ? "  when  Thornton,  touching 
his  cap,  and  bowing  to  her  reverentially,  drew  off 
Herford  most  abruptly,  leaving  her  no  other  course 
than  to  retrace  her  steps,  which  she  did  as  in  a  dream, 
when  some  one  abruptly  stopped  her  way.  She  looked 
up,  and  saw  Abner  Eutterfield. 

"  Deborah,"  he  said,  speaking  hurriedly,  the  color 


3O2      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

coming  over  his  brown  cheek,  "  you  ought  not  to  be 
here  alone.  This  is  King  Street,  where  daily  and 
nightly  tumult  is  likely  to  occur  if  anywhere.  Come, 
let  me  take  you  to  a  quieter  place,  where  I  can  help 
you  maybe,"  he  added  awkwardly. 

Debby  lifted  a  calm  face  to  his  heated  one,  as  if 
with  mind  lost  to  her  own  need.  "  Do  not  be  afraid 
for  me,  Abner,"  she  said.  "  You  know  why  I  am  here. 
I  have  come  to  look  for  father.  Oh!  I  may  meet  him 
now  at  any  moment." 

"Where  are  you  going  to  stay?"  asked  Abner,  es- 
saying to  lead  her  off. 

She  fell  into  step  by  his  side,  like  a  docile  child, 
and  went  on  steadily.  "At  Dame  Hannah  Barker's. 
She  is  a  kinswoman  of  my  mother's,  you  know.  She 
wrote  me  in  response  to  my  letter,  and  said  I  could 
stay  there  while  I  searched  for  father.  Is  it  far  from 
here,  think  you,  Abner  ? "  She  took  out  the  paper 
again  from  her  packet,  and  gave  it  to  him,  bending 
anxiously  over  it  as  he  perused  it. 

"At  the  farther  end  of  the  town,  I  think,"  said 
Abner,  wrinkling  his  brows  in  perplexity.  "  Come 
this  way,  Debby;  I  will  find  it  for  you." 

In  all  his  distress  over  her,  his  mad  rage  at  Jim, 
and  the  fate  that  had  enveloped  her  with  the  friend- 
liness and  sympathy  of  the  miserable  wretch,  it  was 


A   SEARCH   THROUGH  BOSTON   TOWN.      303 

heaven  to  be  walking  by  her  side,  to  note  the  sad 
droop  of  her  sweet  face  and  the  touching  confidence 
with  which  she  now  resigned  all  care  of  the  expedi- 
tion to  him.  They  went  on  silently  for  some  mo- 
ments, Debby  scanning  eagerly  the  face  of  every 
passer-by,  particularly  if  King  George's  uniform  cov- 
ered the  pedestrian.  Suddenly  they  heard  a  great 
commotion  and  the  rattle  of  muskets,  with  loud  shouts 
and  jeers.  Abner  instantly  sought  to  turn  Debby 
down  a  quieter  thoroughfare ;  but  there  was  no  oppor- 
tunity, before  a  negro  man,  running  at  full  speed, 
chased  by  taunting  British  soldiers  handling  their 
bayonets  suggestively,  dashed  into  them,  nearly  knock- 
ing them  prostrate.  "  Save  me  —  O  God-a-mighty 
—  save  me!"  and  falling  on  his  knees  he  clasped 
Abner  around  his  long  legs.  It  was  Pompey. 

Abner  swung  his  legs  free,  and  put  himself  between 
the  grovelling  negro  and  the  soldiers,  who  now  see- 
ing double  game  in  a  couple  of  rustics  added  to  the 
fun  of  frightening  the  darkey,  manipulated  their  bayo- 
nets in  a  way  calculated  to  bring  out  much  amuse- 
ment. 

"  Put  up  your  weapons,"  said  Abner  quietly,  as 
Debby  lifted  her  face  and  looked  at  them  calmly, 
while  one  hand  soothed  Pompey's  woolly  head,  that 
in  the  last  weeks  had  taken  on  a  frostier  hue. 


304      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"We  are  peaceable  citizens,  and  law-abiding,  and 
as  such  shall  have  protection  of  this  town." 

"This  nigger  insulted  us,"  shouted  one  of  the  sol- 
diers, pricking  the  negro's  leg  with  his  bayonet,  which 
made  him  roll  over  on  the  ground  in  an  agony  of 
apprehension,  so  that  it  exposed  his  eyes,  and  he  saw 
Abner's  face  for  the  first  time.  Debby  he  had  not 
noticed,  save  that  she  was  a  woman,  and  not  likely  to 
be  of  much  help  in  saving  him.  The  astonishment 
and  delight  that  seized  him  was  now  so  great  that 
it  overpressed  the  pain  and  fright.  "O  Massa  Ab- 
ner!  "  he  exclaimed,  in  a  delirium  of  joy,  and  jumped 
up  and  precipitated  himself  into  Butterfield's  arms; 
"you  done  sabe  ole  Pomp!" 

"Is  he  your  nigger?"  enquired  the  man  who  had 
played  his  bayonet  on  Pompey,  and  falling  back  a 
little. 

"He  is  my  servant,"  said  Abner  sternly,  "and  who- 
ever touches  him  will  have  me  to  answer  to." 

"  He's  a  lying,  thieving  nigger,"  spoke  up  a  soldier, 
who  found  little  pleasure  in  having  the  game  dis- 
turbed, and  was  casting  about  for  some  excuse  for 
their  persecution. 

"You  lie  yousef,"  shouted  Pompey,  raising  his 
head,  quite  re-enforced  by  Abner's  protection,  since 
in  him  he  had  recovered  his  long-mourned  master. 


A    SEARCH   THROUGH  BOSTON  TOWN.      305 

"  Shut  your  black  mouth !  "  threatened  the  Regular, 
advancing  on  him,  bayonet  well  poised. 

"Kick  his  shin  —  that  fetches  a  nigger,"  advised 
another. 

"Oh,  no  —  no  —  no!"  roared  Pompey,  far  gone  in 
his  dreadful  fright,  and  whirling  around  Abner,  whom 
he  grasped  with  both  hands,  so  that  the  two  revolved 
rapidly,  until  Butterfield  thrust  his  newly  recovered 
servant  determinedly  back  of  him,  and  endeavored  to 
address  the  soldiery. 

"Listen,"  said  Debby,  laying  her  cool  hand  on  the 
frantic  arm  of  the  negro.  "  No  one  shall  hurt  you. 
Don't  you  know  me,  Pompey?  I  am  Deborah  Parlin." 

Pompey  turned  an  instant,  rolled  his  eyes  till  there 
seemed  nothing  but  the  whites  displayed,  and  gasped 
without  speech.  Meantime  the  hubbub  brought  to 
the  spot  another  squad  of  redcoats,  who  had  turned 
at  the  noise  on  their  way  to  their  barracks. 

"What's  the  trouble?"  cried  their  officer,  levelling 
his  musket  at  the  young  countryman.  "  Sir,  I  think 
you  will  have  to  come  with  me  to  the  guard-room," 
without  waiting  for  an  answer,  "  for  creating  a  dis- 
turbance in  the  streets." 

"  I  think  not,  sir,"  replied  Debby  in  clear  tones, 
and  regarding  him  fearlessly,  "when  you  come  to 
hear  the  cause  of  this  noise.  It  is  "  — 


306      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"  A  mere  fracas  of  words,"  hastily  set  in  the  soldier 
who  had  pricked  Pompey  with  his  bayonet.  "  Cor- 
poral, nothing  to  speak  of ;  these  country  people  don't 
understand  the  ways  of  the  town,  and  addressed  us  in 
a  manner  unbecoming  the  British  soldier  to  receive. 
But  let  it  pass,  —  it  was  but  a  trifle." 

"That  is  not  the  truth,"  said  Debby  in  a  clear 
voice,  and  not  taking  her  blue  eyes  from  the  round 
red  face  of  the  corporal ;  "  we  were  quietly  proceeding 
on  our  way,  when  these  soldiers,"  pointing  to  them, 
"who  were  ill-treating  the  servant  of  my  friend,  em- 
broiled us  in  abuse  and  confusion." 

"Who  is  this  nigger?"  demanded  the  corporal 
fiercely  with  an  oath,  for  the  first  time  perceiving  the 
grovelling  Pompey. 

"  My  servant,  sir,"  said  Abner  sturdily. 

The  corporal's  color  ran  high  on  his  cheek.  Dearly 
would  he  have  loved  to  punish  these  independent 
rustics  who  dared  to  thus  face  him.  But  realizing 
what  he  in  his  turn  would  be  obliged  to  face  when 
the  story  should  come  out  in  the  guard-room  that 
he  had  permitted  any  abuse  of  the  property  of  Ameri- 
can citizens,  —  as  clearly  from  their  attitude,  it  could 
be  proved  that  the  soldiery  had  interfered  with  their 
servant,  —  he  hesitated  in  a  surly  fashion. 

"  I  tell  you,  Corporal,  it's  but  a  trifle,  and  they  know 


A   SEARCH   THROUGH  BOSTON   TOWN.      307 

no  better,"  exclaimed  the  British  soldier  who  had  been 
chief  spokesman. 

"  You  keep  your  place,  Jones,"  angrily  commanded 
the  corporal,  "  and  be  less  lively  with  your  tongue. 
To  your  quarters,  men ; "  and  he  flourished  his  musket 
and  swore  roundly  until  the  heavy  tramp  died  off  down 
the  street.  "  Now,  you  miserable  Yankees,  disperse 
and  go  your  way  with  your  nigger ;  and  hark  ye  !  if 
I  catch  you  kicking  up  any  more  tumults,  I'll  deal 
with  you  as  you  deserve." 

"  We  shall  not  be  ordered  off  from  Boston  streets, 
as  long  as  we  are  not  disobeying  the  law,  by  you  or 
any  other  person,"  declared  Abner  sturdily,  his  big 
brown  hands  working  hard. 

The  corporal's  face  was  livid  with  passion,  and  he 
made  as  though  he  would  run  Abner  through  with  his 
bayonet ;  but  thinking  better  of  it,  "  We'll  bear  with 
you  now,"  he  cried,  "because  we're  sure  to  have  you 
all  in  our  hands  sooner  or  later,  to  do  what  we  like 
with,"  —  with  a  parting  oath. 


308      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 


XXI. 

HOME   TO   CONCORD   TOWN. 

" r INHERE  is  no  time  to  lose  now,   Debby,"  said 

-L  Abner  hurriedly;  " some  of  these  drunken  fel- 
lows may  return;  we  best  make  haste  to  Mistress  Bar- 
ker's. Get  up,  Pompey;  you  shall  tell  me  later  how 
you  came  to  run  away,  and  to  fall  into  such  a  plight." 

"Golly,  massa,  I  tell  you  now,"  cried  Pompey,  as 
they  hurried  on ;  "  'twas  de  debbil  shore  done  took 
me.  An'  he  got  such  a  long  leg,  he  have,  an'  he  let 
it  fly  at  my  shin  —  oh,  whee  ! "  The  negro  stopped  to 
rub  his  leg  now  in  exquisite  distress  at  the  remem- 
brance. "Only  get  me  safe  home  to  yer  ma,  an'  I 
axes  nothing  but  to  die." 

"Come  along,"  cried  Abner,  impatiently  striding 
on,  "or  we'll  leave  you  to  be  taken  again,  you  black 
nuisance." 

Thus  warned,  Pompey  scuttled  after  the  two;  and 
devious  wanderings,  not  necessary  to  detail  here, 
at  last  brought  the  three  to  the  Barker  homestead. 
It  was  a  little  many-gabled  house,  with  its  doors 


HOME    TO   CONCORD    TOWN.  309 

and  garden  palings  painted  green,  and  a  wide  space 
before  neighboring  yards. 

Here  Debby  was  drawn  into  shelter;  and  Abner, 
imploring  motherly  Mrs.  Barker,  a  wholesome-looking 
woman  of  fifty,  to  look  well  to  her  kinswoman,  and 
not  to  let  her  venture  alone  upon  the  streets,  took 
Pompey  in  charge,  and  started  off  home  for  Concord 
Town. 

"  Though  why  I  promised,  as  shouldn't,  to  go  with 
her  every  time  she  puts  her  face  out-o'-doors,  I  don't 
know,"  said  the  discomfited  woman  to  herself,  when 
Abner's  back  was  turned.  "  Cousin  Debby  looks  ver- 
ily like  a  child  accustomed  to  have  her  own  way  — 
an'  me,  la,  I  never  could  make  a  cat  obey  me.  Dear, 
dear!  well,  I  hope  she'll  find  her  father;  I  hope  these 
pesky  Britishers  will  leave  us  alone.  These  be  dret- 
ful  times,  the  Lord  knows,  an'  me  a  lone  woman,  with 
no  one  to  look  after  me." 

Dreary  and  heart-breaking  for  Debby  were  the  days 
that  followed.  At  first  good  Mrs.  Barker  made  a 
show  of  attendance  upon  her  young  cousin  that  pres- 
ently dwindled  away  to  nothing  ;  and  Debby  would 
patiently  tie  on  her  hood  and  fold  her  big  shawl 
around  her  morning  after  morning,  and  make  the 
search  alone.  She  never  knew  how  near  she  came 
to  the  object  of  her  sad  wanderings.  Once,  while 


310      A   LITTLE   MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

nearing  the  Province  House,  she  paused  and  looked 
up  at  the  splendid  big  brick  mansion,  well  set  back 
on  its  beautiful  lawn,  and  guarded  by  a  stately  oak  on 
either  side  of  the  gateway.  All  her  strength  at  this 
moment  seemed  to  desert  her,  and  she  leaned  heavily 
against  the  fence  with  its  ornamented  posts;  her  tired 
eyes  drooped  to  the  ground.  A  wild  desire  to  risk 
everything  and  rush  to  its  forbidding  portals,  and 
throw  herself  on  the  mercy  of  Governor  Gage's  wife, 
who  was  American  born,  for  a  moment  seized  and 
overbore  her  serene,  undaunted  spirit.  Surely  she 
would,  she  must,  help  her  to  find  her  father.  And 
then  the  girl  bitterly  reflected  that  it  was  the  last 
thing  that  the  wife  of  the  commander  of  the  British 
could  do,  —  secure  the  dismissal  from  the  British 
ranks  of  soldiery,  of  a  man  who  had  been  won  to  them. 

"  O  God  in  heaven ! "  cried  poor  Debby,  overcome 
with  grief  and  bitterness,  "help  me,  for  there  is 
none  on  earth  who  can." 

A  soldier  on  duty  before  the  Province  House 
looked  at  her  sharply,  and  in  an  instant  stepped  be- 
hind the  angle  of  the  mansion,  his  heart  beating  as 
high  as  that  under  the  maiden's  bodice.  Who  can 
tell  what  the  father  suffered  now  ?  or  how  near  he  came 
to  deserting  his  post?  Death,  and  disgrace  to  his 
name,  must  ensue;  and  how  could  this  help  Debby? 


HOME    TO    CONCORD    TOWN.  3!  I 

He  watched  her  every  movement,  and  the  droop  of  her 
sad  face,  though  no  expression  other  than  that  intense 
gaze  was  on  his  countenance.  And  when  at  last  she 
turned  off,  and  went  on  her  patient  way,  he  cursed 
God  in  his  heart,  and  prayed  to  die. 

In  all  this  weary  search,  the  only  thing  that  com- 
forted Debby  was  the  fact  that  she  could  find  out 
many  things  that  would  not  be  possible  for  one  of 
her  countrymen  to  gain.  No  one  would  suspect  a 
young  woman,  so  absorbed  in  her  own  personal  mat- 
ters, of  trying  to  acquire  any  knowledge  that  might 
be  of  benefit  to  the  oppressed  people.  And  so  it 
chanced  that  Debby  gained  many  valuable  bits  of 
information  that  she  hid  in  her  heart  to  reveal  to 
her  townspeople  on  her  return.  Her  return?  She 
was  slowly  coming  to  face  the  fact  that  she  could 
delay  it  but  a  little  longer;  she  must  go  back,  and 
with  a  heavier  load  to  carry  than  the  burden  she 
bore  away,  for  then  she  had  allowed  herself  to  be 
buoyed  up  by  hope. 

Revolving  these  thoughts  one  day,  and  feeling 
faint  and  ill  at  the  prospect,  she  turned  a  sudden 
corner,  and  came,  without  a  hint  of  warning,  upon 
the  young  British  officer  Thornton.  There  was  no 
chance  of  his  evading  her,  for  they  met  face  to  face. 
With  a  countenance  as  pale  as  her  own,  he  fixed 


312      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

upon  her  his  keen  dark  eyes,  and  lifted  his  cap 
gravely,  again  bowing  low  and  reverentially. 

"  Oh,  sir !  whoever  you  are,"  cried  Debby,  clasping 
her  hands,  "  undo  your  wicked  work,  and  help  me  to 
get  back  my  father  to  the  love  of  his  country  and 
his  home ! " 

The  young  officer  continued  to  look  at  her,  but 
did  not  speak. 

"It  is  useless  to  attempt  to  deny  it,"  said  Debby 
in  a  torrent;  "you  were  disguised,  and  you  came  to 
our  town  to  steal  away  the  hearts  of  my  country- 
men. Is  this  the  part  of  honorable  warfare  that  Eng- 
lishmen should  play  upon  a  defenceless  and  well-nigh 
crushed  people  ? " 

He  could  not  turn  whiter,  for  his  pale  face  was 
ghastly  now.  But  he  looked  at  her  steadily. 

"God  is  on  our  side,"  said  Debby,  her  bosom 
panting,  and  her  pale  face  and  eyes  alight.  "  He 
will  avenge.  You  need  not  think,  sir,  that  you  will 
go  unpunished  for  your  deed." 

"I  do  not  for  an  instant  think  this,"  said  Thornton 
in  a  low  voice,  clear  and  well  modulated.  "  Believe, 
Miss  Parlin,  in  this  word  of  mine." 

Her  hand,  that  had  been  involuntarily  raised  in 
warning,  fell  to  her  side,  and  it  was  now  her  turn  to 
gaze  at  him  open  mouthed. 


HOME    TO    CONCORD    TOWN.  313 

"My  punishment  is  not  for  the  future;  it  is  here 
and  now,"  he  said,  his  eyes  piercing  her  through 
and  through. 

"  Oh,  sir ! "  cried  Debby  joyfully,  the  pink  color 
coming  to  her  pale  cheek,  and  clasping  her  hands 
in  gratitude,  "  now  may  God  forgive  me  for  my  harsh 
words;  you  can  give  me  back  my  father  —  and  par- 
don me  for  forgetting  to  thank  you  for  saving  my 
poor  life." 

The  young  officer  put  up  a  protesting  hand.  "  I 
cannot  help  you  to  recover  your  father.  He  is  in 
the  British  army.  No  power  on  earth  but  his  own 
desertion  can  free  him.  You  must  not  be  seen  talk- 
ing with  me.  May  that  God  whom  you  serve,  keep 
you  ! "  He  was  gone  in  an  instant,  whither  Debby 
knew  not.  She  staggered  on  a  few  steps,  paused 
weakly,  and  gathered  up  all  her  soul  to  reach  her 
kinswoman's  door.  But  the  reaction  had  been  too 
great;  and  with  only  one  thought,  "This  must  be 
death,"  she  sank  to  the  ground. 

A  crowd  collected,  and  kind  hands  picked  her  up. 
"Where  to? "  they  queried.  "She's  from  the  country, 
sure. " 

It  was  near  the  Salter  homestead,  at  what  is  in 
this  day  the  corner  of  Winter  and  Washington 
Streets  ;  and  a  gentlewoman  looked  out  of  the  win- 


314      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

dow.  It  was  Mrs.  Stedman,  then  a  resident  of  the 
house. 

"Run,"  she  said,  to  her  domestic,  a  Mrs.  Gibson, 
whose  husband  belonged  to  the  British  army,  "and 
see  what  the  tumult  is  in  the  street.  Perhaps  some 
woman  is  sick  or  in  trouble." 

Betsy  Gibson  threw  her  apron  over  her  head  and 
ran  out,  and  presently  came  beneath  the  window  and 
screamed,  "It's  a  young  country  girl,  and  they've  no- 
where to  carry  her." 

Mrs.  Stedman  deserted  her  embroidery,  and  got  out 
of  her  high-backed  chair,  and  casting  a  glance  in  the 
tall  mirror  discovered  there  that  she  was  a  comely 
spectacle.  She  passed  out  and  over  the  broad  stair- 
way, and  picking  up  her  flowered  morning-gown  over 
her  stuffed  petticoat,  she  descended  with  dignity  to 
the  thoroughfare.  The  crowd  made  way  for  her  re- 
spectfully. There  was  poor  Debby,  propped  against 
the  tree  with  white  face  and  closed  eyes.  Her  hood 
had  fallen  off,  and  her  sunny  hair  floated  away  from 
her  marble  face.  Her  poor  hands  were  folded,  and 
she  looked  indeed  dead.  But  the  practised  eye 
of  Mrs.  Stedman  saw  a  faint  movement  of  the 
blue  kerchief  that  denoted  life.  "Lift  her  up," 
she  said  with  the  air  of  authority,  "and  take  her 
into  my  house;  and  do  some  of  you  run  for  Dr. 


HOME    TO    CONCORD    TOWN.  315 

Church,"  pointing  to  his  residence  but  a  short  dis- 
tance away. 

The  same  kind  hands  that  had  raised  Debby  now 
bore  her  to  the  hospitable  mansion;  and  there,  on  a 
big  couch,  with  Betsy  running  for  hot  water  and  the 
simple  restoratives  of  the  matron,  they  all  awaited 
breathlessly  the  arrival  of  the  good  doctor,  who  was  to 
bleed  the  patient  into  sensibility  and  a  new  lease  of 
life. 

But  Debby  was  saved  this  experiment.  The  worthy 
doctor  was  off  on  his  horse,  with  saddle-bags  of  medi- 
cines and  surgical  instruments,  miles  into  the  coun- 
try; and  so  Debby  came  unassisted,  except  by  such 
attentions  as  could  be  shown  her  by  the  good  matron 
and  her  frightened  domestic,  back  into  life  again. 
And  she  sat  up  on  the  big  couch,  and  tried  to  tell 
enough  of  her  history  to  satisfy  the  curiosity  of  both, 
Betsy  especially  plying  her  with  eager  questions. 

"Concord?  I  have  heard  that  it  is  a  goodly  town," 
said  Mistress  Stedman  reflectively. 

But  the  girl  could  not  speak.  Big  tears  rolled  over 
her  white  face,  and  she  put  up  no  resisting  hand. 

"Take  yourself  off,  Betty,"  commanded  Mistress 
Stedman,  when  she  saw  this;  "she  is  too  ill  for  idle 
questions." 

"I  am  well  enough  to  go  on  my  way  now,  madam," 


3l6      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

said  Debby,  essaying  to  get  to  her  feet.  The  furni- 
ture seemed  to  sway  about  her,  and  the  brocaded  cur- 
tains to  swing  from  their  fastenings.  "  I  must  get 
back  to  my  kinswoman's." 

"  And  who  is  she  ? "  demanded  Mistress  Stedman. 

"Dame  Hannah  Barker,"  said  Debby  faintly  suc- 
cumbing to  the  inevitable,  and  sinking  back  again, 
closed  her  eyes. 

Mistress  Stedman  went  out  speedily,  and  nearly 
overturned  Mrs.  Gibson,  who  was  applying  her  ear 
to  the  crack  of  the  door. 

"What  are  you  doing  here,  Betsy?"  cried  her  mis- 
tress sharply. 

"A-polishin'  up  the  latch,"  said  Betsy,  beginning 
now  to  rub  the  end  of  her  check  apron  smartly  over 
the  brass  trimmings  of  the  door.  "I  see  it  needed 
it  dreadful  bad  the  other  day." 

"  Nonsense  1  do  you  put  on  your  shawl  and  hood, 
and  find  the  house  of  one  Dame  Hannah  Barker. 
And  let  no  grass  grow  under  your  feet.  Tell  her 
that  her  kinswoman  —  oh,  dear  me!  J  didn't  get  her 
name,  and  she  is  too  far  gone  again  to  trouble  her 
more  —  is  ill  in  this  house.  And  be  sure  not  to 
bring  her  back,  if  she  is  a  fussy  or  unwholesome  per- 
son, Betsy;  for  I'd  rather  take  the  care  of  this  young 
girl  myself  than  to  be  over-burdened  with  a  meddle- 


HOME    TO   CONCORD    TOWN.  317 

some  creature."  With  this  warning  repeated  to  the 
iast,  Mistress  Stedman  saw  her  domestic  depart. 

"Betsy  is  a  good  creature  in  the  main,"  she  said, 
watching  the  rotund  form  disappear,  "though  Heaven 
knows  I  sigh  for  the  day  when  we  shall  be  in  quiet 
peace,  and  the  power  to  adjust  our  households  to 
our  liking.  Though  I  ought  to  be  thankful  that  I 
can  obtain  even  the  wife  of  a  British  soldier.  British 
soldiers !  "  her  comely  cheek  took  on  a  rosy  red,  and 
her  bright  eyes  snapped  beneath  her  matron's  cap; 
"  forsooth,  what  right  have  they  to  be  quartered  on 
us  in  desecration  of  our  town  and  our  liberties  !  " 

The  ribbons  of  her  cap  trembled  in  indignation 
as  she  hastened  back  to  Debby,  glad  that  she  had 
for  the  time  some  distracting  element  to  draw  away 
her  thoughts  from  the  ever-present  distress  and  hu- 
miliation. And  loving  all  household  practices,  and 
especially  that  of  nursing,  she  speedily  made  all 
things  as  comfortable  around  the  sick  girl  as  possible, 
giving  a  sigh  of  relief  when  Betsy  came  back  and 
alone. 

Evidently  Dame  Hannah  Barker  was  not  anxious 
to  intrude  herself  on  the  personality  of  the  big  man- 
sion. She  held  herself  as  good  as  anybody,  but  pre- 
ferred to  take  no  chances  at  comparison.  And  since 
Debby  was  apparently  in  the  best  of  hands,  judging 


318      A    LITTLE  MAID   OF  COATCORD    TOWN. 

from  the  wholesome  appearance  of  the  domestic,  and 
the  good  sense  and  kind  heartedness  of  the  sender, 
she  decided,  as  nothing  was  said  about  her  coming, 
to  stay  at  home. 

"I  don't  know  but  Deb'rah  has  got  herself  into 
trouble  with  the  Britishers,  and  madded  some  on 
'em,  she's  so  bent  on  her  pa.  An'  I'm  a  lone  wo- 
man and  a  relict,  with  no  one  to  look  after  me." 
She  glanced  around  her  tidy  house  with  its  accumu- 
lations of  years  of  hard  work  by  herself  arid  her 
spouse,  whose  black  silk  silhouette,  and  also  portions 
of  his  hair  wrought  into  an  endless  chain  of  flowers, 
reposed  on  the  high  mantel-piece,  and  she  shivered  in 
dread. 

"You  tell  her  I'll  maybe  walk  up  to-morrow  an' 
see  how  she's  a-gettin'  on.  If  she  ain't  no  better, 
your  missis  had  better  send  out  to  Concord  for  her 
folks." 

Instead  of  which,  Mistress  Stedman,  within  a  few 
days,  sent  a  letter,  of  which  the  following  is  a  tran- 
scription :  — 

DEAR  MADAM,  — 

I  take  my  pen  in  hand  to  inform  you  that  your  daughter 
Deborah  is  in  my  house  with  a  disorder  that  is  not  of  great 
moment,  but  which  nesesitates  her  being  under  good  nurs- 
ing. She  is  a  good  girl,  and  I  mind  that  she  seems  to  be 


HOME    TO    CONCORD    TOWN.  319 

well  brought  up,  and  to  have  a  lively  consideration  for  the 
feelings  of  others,  which  is  not  always  possessed  by  the 
young  people  of  our  age.  She  was  with  3.  kinswoman,  a 
Dame  Barker  of  this  town,  a  commonplace  creature  enough, 
I  should  judge,  having  never  met  her,  and  with  no  soul  to 
apreciate  your  daughter.  It  behooves  me  therefore  to  beg 
of  you,  my  dear  madam,  the  satisfaction  of  a  reply,  to  say 
that  you  are  agreeable  to  this  care  that  I  will  exercise  for 
your  daughter,  and  to  add  that  I  will  send  her  home  at 
the  earliest  moment  that  you  insist  upon,  although  I  hope 
to  retain  her,  being  strangely  attached  to  her. 
Yours  to  command, 

BATHSHEBA  STEDMAN. 

For  the  first  time  in  many  months  Mrs.  Parlin 
awoke  from  her  state  of  bitter  indifference.  She 
frightened  the  children,  who  had  brought  her  the 
big  letter  written  on  blue  paper  and  sealed  with  im- 
mense red  wafers,  by  saying,  "You  mind  the  house;  " 
and  throwing  her  shawl  over  her  head,  without  wait- 
ing for  a  hood  or  a  bonnet,  she  almost  ran  to  the 
road. 

"Oh,  oh,  she's  gone  crazy  again!  "  screamed 
Johnny,  as  she  disappeared;  and  running  out  of  the 
door,  he  plunged  across  the  greensward  between 
their  cottage  and  the  Felton  yellow  house. 

Doris  screamed  after  him,  "Don't  you  bring  old 
Miss  Felton,  or  we  shall  all  be  crazy,"  she  said. 


32O      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

(( I'm  goin'  to  beg  Mr.  Septimius  to  go  after  her/ 
shouted  Johnny,  "and  bring  her  back."  But  Mr. 
Septimius  was  not  to  be  found,  being  apparently  off 
exploring  the  silent  haunts  of  nature  on  the  hill- 
top, that  wooed  him  daily;  and  Johnny,  blubbering 
and  wringing  his  hands,  returned  to  the  cottage, 
harassed  by  the  steps  of  Aunt  Keziah,  bearing  aloft 
her  herb-pot. 

"Come  in,  come  in!"  cried  Doris,  pulling  him  well 
within  the  green  door  and  turning  down  the  button. 
"Don't  bawl  so ;  she  can't  get  at  us." 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  said  Johnny  through  his 
tears;  "she's  a  witch,  and  witches  can  go  anywheres." 

Doris  shook  mightily  at  this;  but  it  was  necessary 
for  some  one  to  be  brave,  so  she  said,  "  Pshaw,  there 
ain't  witches  now!  and  I'll  set  the  kettle  biling,  and 
scald  her  if  she  comes  in.  There,  see!  she's  gone 
home." 

Debby  was  at  this  instant  saying  to  good  Mistress 
Stedman,  "I  am  strong  now;  I  must  go  home." 

And  looking  in  her  face,  the  kind  matron  knew 
there  was  no  longer  an  excuse  to  keep  her  back.  But 
she  sighed,  "I  find  it  in  my  heart  to  detain  you, 
child,"  she  said;  "for  you  verily  have  grown  into  my 
love." 

Debby  for  answer  kneeled  on  the  low  ottoman  at 


HOME    TO   CONCORD    TOWN.  $21 

the  feet  of  her  kind  friend.  "  You  have  been  so  good 
to  me,"  she  said  brokenly,  putting  her  young  hands 
on  the  gay-flowered  lap. 

Mistress  Stedman  threw  aside  her  embroidery,  and 
gathered  the  girl  up  to  her  breast.  "You  do  not  need 
to  tell  me  your  trouble,  Deborah ;  it  is  enough  to  me 
that  you  are  in  distress  of  mind.  Oh,  if  I  could  only 
help  you!  But,  alas,  child,  how  many  hearts  are  sore 
and  torn  in  these  cruel  days,  and  there  is  none  to  ren- 
der assistance  ! " 

"God  sent  you  to  my  aid,"  said  Debby,  pushing 
back  the  terrible  sorrow  that  must  be  borne  alone. 
How  could  she  tell  that  her  father  was  a  soldier  in 
the  British  army  ?  And  yet  she  felt  meanly  indeed, 
and  sore  at  heart,  to  be  accepting  sympathy  and  aid 
when,  as  a  traitor's  daughter,  she  deserved  to  be 
thrust  without  the  door. 

"Yes;  I  must  go  home,  my  dear  Mistress  Sted- 
man," she  said  brokenly,  and  in  a  shame-faced  man- 
ner. "  I  shall  pray  for  you  every  day  of  my  life  to 
the  good  God.  He  will  reward  you,  though  I  cannot." 

Mistress  Stedman  pressed  a  kiss  on  the  soft,  round 
cheek,  regaining  a  little  of  its  wonted  color,  and  the 
tears  filled  her  eyes.  "There  may  be  much  woe  ahead 
for  us  both,  Deborah,"  she  said;  "God  knows.  What- 
ever comes,  we  will  hold  close  to  each  other." 


322      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

And  that  afternoon  Abner  Butterfield,  who  had  been 
summoned  by  the  mother  love,  awakened  and  hungry 
for  her  daughter  by  the  written  words  of  another 
woman,  drove  up  in  his  big  green  wagon  to  the  Salter 
homestead,  and  said,  "  Deborah,  your  mother  has  sent 
for  you,  with  kindly  words  of  thankfulness  to  the  one 
who  has  befriended  you. " 

The  young  man  was  too  much  shocked  at  Debby's 
changed  appearance  to  keep  his  countenance. 

"She  is  quite  strong  now,"  said  Mistress  Stedman 
cheerfully.  "I  could  wish  that  she  might  have  my 
nursing  a  bit  longer,  but  it  may  not  be,"  she  added 
sorrowfully,  all  her  heart  going  out  to  the  girl. 

She  stood  on  the  steps  of  the  hospitable  mansion 
and  watched  them  depart.  "It  is  easy  to  see  that  the 
honest  fellow  devours  her  with  his  eyes,  and  that  his 
heart  is  wholly  hers.  But  that  little  flower  of  a 
maiden,  despite  her  rustic  gown  and  speech,  is  worthy 
to  grace  a  high  station,  and  I  pray  God  that  she  be 
not  sacrificed.  If  she  could  only  remain  with  me,  I 
could  fit  her  for  her  evident  destiny."  She  sighed, 
and  turned  back  with  irritation  to  her  embroidery. 


"/  AM  A    TRAITOR'S  DAUGHTER!"          323 


XXII. 
"i  AM  A  TRAITOR'S  DAUGHTER!" 

THE  keeping-room  of  the  Wood  mansion  was 
astir  with  patriotism,  the  walls  echoing  and 
re-echoing  to  the  fearless  utterances  of  the  fathers 
of  the  town,  met  in  deliberative  council,  informal, 
and  at  short  notice.  They  had  sat  there  for  an  hour 
or  more  discussing  various  ways  and  means  at  this 
juncture,  of  helping  toward  some  decisive  crisis,  the 
complications  in  which  they  and  their  unfortunate 
countrymen  were  entangled.  Suddenly  Mrs.  Wood's 
pale,  earnest  face  was  put  within  the  doorway. 
"Father,"  she  said,  "Deborah  Par  1  in  has  something 
to  say  to  you  and  to  the  others." 

"Let  the  child  wait,"  said  Mr.  Wood  quickly,  to 
whom  Debby  seemed  but  a  little  one  in  pinafores 
along  with  his  Perces.  And  he  went  on  with  his 
talk  with  Brother  Hosmer. 

"Indeed,  I  think,  father,  it  would  be  well  to  see 
.Deborah  before  you  decide  thus,"  Mrs.  Wood  ven- 
tured to  say. 


324      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONGO KD    TOWN. 

"I  agree  with  you,  Mrs.  Wood,"  said  Mr.  Hey- 
wood;  "for  since  Deborah  gave  us  so  much  infor- 
mation of  matters  in  Boston  that  she  learned  in  her 
visit  there,  I  for  one  feel  her  to  be  an  uncommonly 
sensible  young  person.  Perchance  she  may  have 
come  into  possession  of  some  news  of  great  value. " 

"If  that  is  so,  I  would  have  her  called  in  at 
once,'1  said  Mr.  Wood,  relenting;  and  he  laid  down 
the  paper  upon  which  he  had  been  laboriously  lin- 
ing and  interlining  various  paragraphs,  sighing,  how- 
ever, as  he  did  so. 

Deborah  came  in,  paler  than  was  her  wont,  but 
otherwise  not  changed  in  appearance  or  manner,  ex- 
cept for  a  certain  gravity  that  overlaid  her  old 
sprightliness,  and  became  her  greatly. 

"Thank  you  for  letting  me  come,"  she  said  simply; 
"I  will  tell  my  story  quickly." 

"What  is  it,  Deborah  child?"  cried  Mr.  Wood 
eagerly,  leaning  his  ponderous  body  forward  to  catch 
every  word;  "some  news  of  the  enemy?" 

"Have  they  advanced?  are  they  coming?"  cried 
one  excitable  individual,  springing  from  his  chair, 
and  beginning  to  look  for  his  gun,  which  he  had 
set  up  in  the  corner  on  entering. 

"Nay,"  said  Deborah;  "it  is  not  of  the  enemy  I 
come  to  speak  to-day.  I  know  naught  of  them." 


"I  AM  A    TRAITOR'S  DAUGHTER!"        325 

"  It  ill  befits  thee  then,  child,  to  interrupt  us  at 
our  conference,"  said  Mr.  Wood  in  cold  reproof. 
"  Another  time,  Deborah,  we  will  hear  thee,  if  thou 
desirest  to  speak;  but  go  thou  away  now." 

"  Nay,  nay,  dear  Mr.  Wood,  do  not  send  me  away 
till  I  have  told  thee  all,"  cried  Debby,  in  a  voice 
of  so  much  anguish  that  every  one  started  to  see 
her  face  changed  to  one  torn  with  sorrow  and  shame. 
"  I  have  struggled  with  myself  so  long  in  order  to 
make  my  heart  and  mind  willing  to  come  —  oh,  do 
not  send  me  away  until  you  hear  my  story!" 

"The  child  has  something  on  her  mind,  and  it 
would  be  the  best  and  easiest  way  to  let  her  free 
herself,"  said  Mr.  James  Barrett,  now  a  colonel. 
"Come,  Debby  girl,  what  is  it?"  he  asked  kindly. 

Debby  controlled  a  violent  desire  to  turn  and  rush 
from  the  room;  instead,  she  took  one  step  until  she 
stood  within  the  circle  of  watchful  faces,  and  stood  by 
the  big  mahogany  centre-table.  "My  father  is  a  Tory, 
and  a  soldier  in  the  British  army." 

The  entire  circle  stood  upon  their  feet.  "  It  is 
not  possible!"  thundered  Mr.  Wood.  "In  the  Brit- 
ish army?  Girl,  you  are  dreaming!" 

"As  God  lives,"  said  Debby,  "my  father  is  in  the 
British  army.  You  should  know  this,  though  I  have 
struggled  with  myself  to  make  it  seem  right  to  keep 


326      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

it  from  you."  And  then  she  told  her  story:  How  he 
had  been  led  away;  of  her  mother's  illness  and 
changed  condition;  and  of  her  decision  to  fold  the 
sin  and  shame  in  her  own  breast;  of  her  search  for 
her  father  in  Boston  Town;  of  the  inevitable  and 
hopeless  result;  and  lastly,  of  her  battle  with  her- 
self to  keep  from  laying  the  secret  bare. 

It  was  all  told ;  and  still  the  circle  stood  as  one 
man,  unwilling  or  unable  to  believe  that  John  Parlin. 
whom  they  all  believed  dead,  had  turned  traitor  to 
his  country,  and  was  even  now  bearing  arms  against 
her. 

"It  is  a  sorry  tale,"  observed  Colonel  Barrett; 
"and  it  distresses  me  greatly."  He  looked  strangely 
moved,  and  glanced  at  his  fellow-townsmen.  They 
were  all  affected  to  silence  by  the  sudden  surprise. 
Debby,  having  told  her  story,  stood  pale  and  motion- 
less in  the  centre  of  the  group. 

"But,  Debby,  child,"  Mr.  Wood  found  his  kind 
heart  coming  to  the  rescue,  and  his  good  sense  as 
well,  "there  surely  is  no  fault  to  be  laid  to  your 
door,  and  no  stain." 

"You  forget,"  said  Debby,  standing  now  with  proud 
scorn,  and  uplifted  eyes  where  before  they  had 
drooped  in  shame,  "I  am  a  traitor's  daughter;  there 
is  his  blood  in  my  veins.  Every  one  must  know 


"/  AM  A    TRAITOR'S  DAUGHTER!"         $2? 

it,  and  the  very  ground  will  cry  out  when  I  go  abroad. 
All  the  people  will  despise  me,  as  well  they  may,  — • 
a  traitor's  daughter  ! " 

"  Debby,  child,  are  you  mad?''  cried  Mr.  Wood, 
seizing  her  arm.  "No  such  shame  can  be  laid  to 
your  door.  Shame  is  the  result  of  sin.  Your  love 
for  your  country  is  as  pure  and  true  as  ours." 

"Ah,"  cried  Debby  with  sudden  fire,  "but  you 
can  do  something  to  prove  your  love.  You  can  save 
this  town;  you  are  men,  and  you  can  make  your 
names  so  that  they  will  ring  with  your  country's 
praises.  What  can  a  poor  weak  girl  do  but  die  in 
shame  at  her  father's  treachery  and  her  own  weak- 
ness? " 

"  What  do  you  want  to  do,  Deborah  ? "  asked  Mr. 
Hosmer  in  pity,  and  more  for  the  purpose  of  humor- 
ing her  mood  than  for  any  answer  she  might  make. 

"Anything  where  there  is  danger  —  that  is  needed. 
Make  me  a  spy.  I  am  trained  by  what  I  have  learned 
in  Boston  Town,  and  able  also  to  use  my  powers.  I 
can  learn  many  things  that  may  be  of  use  to  this  town 
and  to  my  country.  Oh  !  I  long  to  do  something  to 
prove  that  I  have,  as  you  just  said,  a  love  for  my 
country  as  pure  and  true  as  yours." 

"My  poor  child!"  Mr.  Wood  took  one  of  the  cold 
hands  in  his  big  palms;  "do  not  fret  yourself  at  your 


328      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

lack  of  opportunity.  Deborah,  the  time  is  coming  to 
you,  I  verily  believe,  when  in  this  town  you  may  be 
able  to  prove  your  bravery  and  your  devotion.  It  is 
coming  for  us  all  I  believe  also,"  he  added  solemnly. 
"And  we  who  are  standing  here,  each  man  of  us,  feels 
it  in  his  soul,  I  venture  to  assert."  They  all  silently 
bowed  their  heads.  "Meantime  hearken,  Deborah. 
Whoever  bears  such  a  cross  as  do  you,  and  patiently 
serves  out  each  day  with  the  work  allotted  to  you, 
holding  firm  and  high  the  love  of  country,  such  an 
one  is  a  Patriot.  Bless  you,  my  dear  child;  say  no 
more, .  only  go  your  way  in  content,  and  worry  your 
poor  heart  no  longer." 

But  great  was  the  consternation  in  Concord  Town 
when  it  became  known  that  John  Parlin  was  not  only 
a  traitor,  but  in  the  active  service  of  his  Majesty,  ac- 
tually belonging  to  the  regular  troops.  It  seemed  at 
first  as  if  all  his  old  friends  (and  who  of  them  had  not 
been  glad  and  proud  to  claim  honest  John  as  friend 
and  fellow-citizen?)  could  not  curse  his  name  and 
fame  with  too  loud  and  deep  objurgation.  What  to 
them  was  now  his  former  fair  name  but  so  much 
added  reason  to  hold  up  his  infamy  to  the  world  of 
neighbors  and  fellow-townsmen  !  And  Debby  was 
right.  The  innocent  must  suffer  with  the  guilty;  and 
although  she  had  their  love  and  their  pity,  many  there 


"/  AM  A    TRAITOR'S  DAUGHTER!"         329 

were  who  raised  only  feeble  doubts  when  it  was 
hinted  that  they  "guessed  Parlin's  family  got  a  good 
price  for  his  serving  as  a  redcoat,"  or  "  the  Parlin  girl 
doesn't  seem  to  mind  her  father's  bein'  a  Tory,"  when 
she  went  with  the  children  to  the  old  meeting-house 
as  usual  on  the  Sabbath  day.  And  she  bore  many 
cold  looks  and  averted  faces  from  people  who  were 
embittered  by  privation  and  distress,  and  fears  of 
coming  evil  of  darker  portent. 

So  the  days  came  and  went,  and  the  red  cloud  of 
war  was  arising  and  illumining  the  sky.  The  ranks  of 
the  minute-men  were  filling  up  rapidly.  There  was  the 
noise  of  the  drum-beat  and  of  the  fife  in  the  air,  to 
awaken  the  echoes  from  farmyard  and  meadow.  Men 
began  to  voice  themselves  still  more  boldly,  and  to 
work  with  ill-concealed  delight  at  the  preparations  for 
the  coining  struggle.  And  the  girls,  working  in  Milis- 
cent's  house,  with  Debby  in  their  midst,  labored  fast 
and  furiously  now  at  the  cartridges,  each  little  instru- 
ment of  death  destined  to  help  forward  the  war  that 
now  began  to  be  talked  of  as  what  must  surely  come. 

The  girls  were  lovely  to  Debby,  encircling  her, 
after  the  first  horror  of  the  thing  had  passed,  with 
their  loyal  devotion,  and  striving  in  every  way  to 
make  her  forget.  On  Miliscent  seemed  to  rest  the  spe- 
cial privilege  and  responsibility  of  soothing  the  over- 


330      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWAT. 

wrought  sensitiveness  that  shuddered  even  when  no 
suggestion  of  or  allusion  to  the  painful  story  was 
thought  of.  She  often  kept  Debby  at  her  house  over 
night  after  the  work  of  making  the  cartridges  was  done 
for  the  day,  and  by  every  means  in  her  power  sought 
to  alleviate  the  sore  distress  that  had  fallen  upon  her 
dearly  loved  friend. 

"Miliscent,"  said  Debby  one  night,  —  the  two  girls 
had  said  their  prayers  and  kissed  each  other  good- 
night, but  lingered  a  while  at  the  window,  in  the  pale 
moonlight  flooding  the  farm  land, —  "just  think  how 
very  long  we  have  been  getting  ready  for  what  is 
coming  in  this  town  —  the  list  of  the  big  days,  when 
for  years  and  years  Concord  Town  has  spoken  out 
for  freedom  and  her  country's  rights,  and  that  you 
and  I  have  kept.  I  read  mine  over  every  day." 

"Yes,"  said  Miliscent.  getti-ng  up  from  the  floor 
where  she  had  been  kneeling,  her  head  on  the  window- 
sill,  to  go  over  to  the  high  shelf  and  take  down  a 
long  white  paper,  tied  with  one  of  her  few  treasured 
bits  of  ribbon.  "It  is  blue,  because  it  is  true,"  she 
said  coming  back  with  it  in  her  hand. 

"That  is  the  ribbon  you  had  given  you  when  you 
went  to  Cambridge;  I  remember  it,"  said  Debby; 
"your  grandmother  gave  it  to  you  for  your  hair." 

"Yes,"  said  Milliscent,  "Grandmother  Barrett  did; 


"/  AM  A    TRAITOR'S   DAUGHTER  !"          331 

but  I  had  rather  tie  up  my  Concord  Town  days  with 
it,  so  I  saved  it,  and  put  it  on  here." 
•  "I  didn't  have  any  ribbon,''  said  Debby  with  a 
sigh;  "  I  tied  mine  up  with  a  linen  string,  and  it  was 
white,  and  part  of  mother's  setting  out,  and  she  spun 
it  with  her  own  hand." 

"Well,  that  is  better  than  mine,  and  white  is  for 
purity,"  said  Miliscent  comforting  her;  "and  I  should 
never  have  thought  of  writing  them  all  down  if  it 
hadn't  been  for  you,  Debby  dear.  I  saw  it  first  in 
your  room.  But  you  had  a  red  bit  on  yours  too,  the 
last  time  I  saw  it." 

Debby  hesitated.  "Yes;  I  put  it  there  since 
father  "  — 

"Don't  speak  it,"  said  Miliscent,  laying  her  hand 
on  her  friend's  mouth;  "just  keep  it  in  your  heart, 
and  never  say  the  words.  Well,  red  is  for  courage, 
Debby,  as  well  as  for  blood.  And  you  can  show 
yours,  dear.  I  do  believe  there  is  some  splendid 
thing  coming  for  you  to  do  for  your  country."  Mi- 
liscent's  eyes  glowed  and  her  bosom  heaved. 

"  Father  has  become  a  man  of  blood,  and  taken  up 
arms  against  his  country,  and  I  must  never  forget 
it,"  said  Debby  steadily;  "although  you  and  the 
girls  are  all  kind  to  try  to  make  me,  Miliscent. 
And,  oh !  thank  you  for  believing  that  something  will 


332      A    LITTLE   MAfD   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

be  given  for  me  to  do  that  can  help  this  town  to 
be  free." 

"And  now  let's  talk  of  the  great  days  of  Concord 
Town,"  said  Miliscent  cheerily.  "See,  Debby,  as 
long  ago  as  October,  1767,  how  we  began  to  oppose 
the  Stamp  Act  !  Look,  I  put  it  down  with  tremen- 
dous letters,  see!  and  I  blotted  it  as  well,"  she  added 
mournfully.  "I  never  shall  forget  my  distress;  and 
I  tried  salt  on  it,  and  vinegar  and  everything,  for 
you  know  I  couldn't  get  another  piece  of  paper. 
Grandfather  had  given  this  to  me  with  especial  charge 
to  keep  it  nice,  for  it  was  all  he  could  spare." 

"Well,  then,  December,  1767,  is  the  next  date 
that  I  put  down,"  said  Debby,  losing  her  sorrowful 
thoughts  for  a  moment. 

"That's  just  it.  I  copied  from  yours,  you  know," 
said  Miliscent — "when  the  selectmen  sent  in  the 
report  they  had  made,  and  the  town  voted  '  to  en- 
courage industry,  economy,  frugality,  and  manufac- 
tures at  home  and  abroad,  and  to  prevent  purchasing 
so  much  as  we  have  done  of  foreign  commodities.' 

"And  then  Sept.  22,  1768,  grandfather  was  chosen 
a  delegate  to  the  Boston  convention,"  said  Miliscent 
in  pride;  but  remembering  Debby's  father,  she  quickly 
passed  on  to  the  next  event  in  big  letters,  headed 
town  meeting,  Jan.  n,  1773. 


"/  AM  A    TRAITOR'S  DAUGHTER!"         333 

"I  wanted  to  copy  this  every  word,"  she  said.  "I 
heard  grandfather  read  'em ;  he  had  the  committee  at 
his  house  ever  so  many  times,  and  grandmother  and  I 
used  to  hear  them  talking  it  over.  But  they  are  all  on 
the  town  records,  so  I  only  put  town  meeting  down, 
and  let  it  go  at  that.  And  the  next  one  is  "  — 

"Jan.  20,  1774,"  said  Debby,  "about  the  export- 
ing of  tea,  you  know,  and  that  Perces  Wood's  father 
signed,  don't  you  know."  She  laid  her  head  in 
deep  distress  upon  her  folded  arms  on  the  window- 
sill.  These  other  girls,  with  their  beautiful  and  holy 
memories,  what  a  heritage  they  had !  and  she  —  a 
traitor's  child ! 

" Debby,"  said  Miliscent  tenderly,  her  soft  arms 
around  her  neck,  and  her  loving  voice  in  her  ear, 
"we  will  put  this  up,  if  it  makes  you  feel  badly. 
Come,  it's  getting  late,  dear,  and  we  ought  to  go  to 
bed." 

"I  shall  always  meet  something  that  brings  me 
face  to  face  with  the  fact  that  I  am  a  traitor's 
daughter,"  said  Debby  in  a  bitter  tone,  and  raising 
her  head;  "no,  go  on,  Miliscent;  —  so  I  read  over 
and  over  my  list  every  day,  and  it  strengthens  me 
to  work  for  the  future.  Go  on,  dear/'  she  added 
more  gently. 

"Then   the   non-consumption    covenant,    June    27, 


334      A    I-ITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

1774,"  said  Miliscent.  "Just  think,  more  than  three 
hundred  men  signed  that,  Debby.  I  know  your 
father  must  have  been  among  them,  for  he  was  al- 
ways so  good  and  patriotic.  May  Heaven  deal 
with  those  who  led  him  astray,  instead  of  counting 
it  sin  laid  to  his  charge. 

"And  then  in  August  how  many  dates  there  are," 
she  hastened  to  add,  "of  town  and  county  conven- 
tions. See,  Debby,  ever  so  many  !  " 

"And  all  along  after,"  said  Debby,  "thick  and 
fast.  But  the  Provincial  Congress  is  the  best  of  all, 
and  the  Committee  of  Safety  day,  and  the  Minute- 
Men  day,  and  the  day  the  cannon  were  bought  and 
brought." 

"And  the  Liberty  Pole  day,"  cried  Miliscent  in 
great  excitement,  "and"  — 

"  Girls  !  girls  !  go  to  bed !  "  called  Mrs.  Barrett. 

"And  the  Enlistment  day,"  whispered  Miliscent, 
as  she  hung  up  her  precious  list,  —  she  had  left  out  the 
Tory  day,  and  the  meetings  on  the  Common  for  con- 
sultation and  action  on  their  cases, —  "and  all  the 
rest.  O  Debby !  Concord  Town  has  got  to  do  some 
splendid  work  now,  after  being  such  a  long  time  get- 
ting ready.  And  you  and  I,  depend  upon  it,  will 
have  a  little  piece  of  the  work  for  our  hands." 

They  kissed  each  other  again,  and  climbed  into  the 


"/  AM  A    TRAITOR'S  DAUGHTER!"          335 

four  poster.  Miliscent  was  soon  asleep,  her  breath 
falling  lightly  upon  the  air;  but  Debby  lay  with  the 
moonlight  flooding  her,  a  prey  to  wretched  and  hope- 
less thoughts,  stretching  down  to  the  years  in  which 
she  could  never  forget  that  she  was  a  traitor's 
daughter. 


336      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 


XXIII. 

"THE  REG'LARS  ARE  COMING  !" 

IT  was  the  i8th  of  April.  The  Provincial  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  was  meeting  up  town  as  it  had 
met  three  times  before  during  the  month.  The  min- 
ute companies  were  out  for  their  military  exercise, 
while  hitherto  peaceful  citizens  might  be  seen  wend- 
ing their  way  along,  their  guns  over  their  shoulders. 
Even  the  Sabbath  day  saw  some  of  them  thus  ac- 
coutred. But  nature  was  at  peace.  Soft  was  the 
air  and  mild  the  season.  The  open  winter  had 
brought  forward  an  early  spring,  her  youthful  arms 
full  of  promising  vegetation.  "The  winter  grain  had 
grown  several  inches  out  of  the  ground,"  and  "the 
fruit-trees  were  in  blossom." 

"I  saw  a  robin  down  by  Mill  Brook,"  said  Doris 
coming  in,  in  great  excitement,  "  and  I  ain't  going 
to  wear  this  old  hood  any  more,"  casting  it  on  the 
floor. 

"Huh!  that's  nothing  —  one  old  robin;  I  saw  two 
robins  last  February,"  declared  Johnny,  who  had 


"THE  REGULARS  ARE   COMING!"  337 

never  ceased  boasting  of  it.  "Great  big  ones,  with 
my  own  eyes,  Doris  Parlin." 

Doris  didn't  care,  since  the  robins  had  come  to 
her,  and  evidently  to  stay,  how  many  he  had  seen. 
She  continued  to  remark  that  she  wasn't  going  to 
wear  her  hood  any  more,  and  she  was  hot  with  that 
dreadful  thick  dress  on,  and  couldn't  she  take  it  off. 

"And  go  squealing  round  with  the  earache,"  put 
in  Johnny,  resenting  the  lack  of  interest  over  his 
robins. 

"Stop  it!  I  don't  squeal  half  as  much  as  you  do," 
retorted  Doris,  her  usually  stolid  face  red  with  anger. 

"I  don't  squeal;  it's  only  girls  that  scream  and 
cry.  Say  that  again,  and  I'll  slap  you." 

"Children,  children,  don't  quarrel!"  said  Debby, 
spinning  over  in  the  corner.  "  How  can  you,  when 
no  one  knows  how  soon  we  shall  be  in  a  dreadful  war? 
Do  let  us  all  live  in  peace  with  each  other." 

"No  one  can  live  in  peace  with  Johnny,"  said 
Doris,  relapsing  into  her  matter-of-fact  way;  "he's 
worse'n  the  Britishers.  He  did  scream  when  he  cut 
his  thumb,  and  then  he  went  behind  the  wood-pile 
and  cried  and  cried." 

Johnny  sprang  after  her,  beating  the  air  with  his 
fists,  but  Debby  got  between  the  two.  "O  children, 
just  think!  who  knows  how  long  we  shall  have  our 


338      A   LITTLE   MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

home  or  each  other?  and  here  you  are  wasting  these 
precious  moments  in  bickering." 

"I  won't  let  the  Reg'lars  get  in,"  declared  Johnny, 
veering  off  to  the  never-tiresome  topic, — the  dread  of 
a  raid  of  British  soldiery  after  the  stores.  "  When  they 
see  me,  I  guess  they'll  run,  and  let  our  home  alone." 

"You  know  nothing  about  what  you  are  talking 
of."  She  shook  her  head  sadly,  yet  there  was  a  fire  in 
her  blue  eye.  "Well,  go  to  your  work,  and  pray  God 
you  may  be  brave  children  when  the  time  comes." 

"I'm  going  to  make  a  little  garden  when  I'm 
through  with  my  work,  and  plant  my  seeds  Mrs.  But- 
terfield  gave  me,"  said  Doris,  trying  not  to  be 
crushed  at  sister  Debby's  rebuke. 

"I'll  help  you,"  said  Johnny  magnanimously;  "at 
any  rate,  I  will  to-morrow.  Wait  until  to-morrow, 
Doris,  then  we'll  fix  it  out  under  the  big  elm." 

"  All  right,"  said  Doris  amicably ;  "  to-morrow 
morning  just  as  soon  as  I  get  the  dishes  washed  up, 
then  we'll  begin  it." 

The  candles  were  extinguished  early  in  the  Parlin 
cottage ;  and  Debby,  soothed  by  the  soft  air  that 
played  through  the  little  window,  and  worn  out  by  her 
toil  of  a  tedious  day,  fell  into  slumber.  She  was 
wandering  in  the  old  days,  when  the  talk  of  coming 
trouble  with  the  king  and  Parliament  could  not  vex 


"  THE   REGULARS  ARE    COMING!"  339 

the  soul  of  a  light-hearted  maiden,  scarcely  more  than 
a  child.  Her  little  world  of  girls  and  their  favored 
swains  in  old  Concord  Town  was  again  gay  and 
happy.  How  she  had  laughed  at  Abner  Butterfield, 
holding  him  up  to  the  ridicule  of  the  girls  for  his  big 
hands  and  awkward  ways,  and  then  laughing  more  yet 
to  see  how  he  took  it  to  heart  when  she  smiled  on  Jim 
and  the  other  young  men  in  a  way  she  never  remem- 
bered being  able  to  help.  Miliscent  and  she  were  off 
gathering  flowers,  or  following  the  course  of  the  river 
in  its  woodside  meanderings,  and  yes,  there  was  Per- 
ces  and  her  other  mates,  and  life  was  sunny,  and  she 
was  joyous  once  more,  for  her  world  of  dreams  never 
hinted  of  a  father's  dishonor.  And  now  Miliscent 
was  ahead,  and  had  discovered  a  lovely  flower  spot, 
and  was  calling  her.  "  I'm  coming,  Miliscent!"  cried 
Debby  in  answer,  and  she  sprang  up  in  bed,  a  smile 
on  her  dewy  face. 

"THE  REG'LARS  ARE  COMING!"  shouted  a  voice,  as 
a  horseman  clattered  by,  the  hoofs  of  the  animal 
striking  deep  into  the  road  with  every  spring.  In 
a  flash  Debby  was  on  her  feet,  throwing  her  shawl 
over  her  shoulders,  and  rushing  to  the  window.  It 
was  Dr.  Samuel  Prescott,  she  could  tell  by  his  voice, 
if  she  could  not  see  in  the  dim  light  his  figure,  as  he 
bent  to  his  horse's  mane,  urging  him  to  top  speed. 


34O      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"THE  REG'LARS  ARE  COMING!"  back  peals  his  cry, 
echoing  through  all  the  open  meadows,  across  the 
road  guarded  by  the  Mill  Brook  and  the  silence  of 
Walden  Pond  beyond.  "  THE  REG'LARS  ARE  COMING  ! " 

Debby  hurried  on  her  clothes  with  hands  that  knew 
no  quaking.  The  past  had  dropped  from  her  like  a 
cloud,  and  she  recognized  that  for  the  daughter  of 
the  traitor  had  now  dawned  a  day  of  opportunity. 
Slipping  down  stairs  lightly,  her  shoes  in  her  hand, 
not  to  awaken  the  children,  she  said  softly,  "Mother, 
did  you  hear  it?  It's  come.  The  Reg'lars  are  on  the 
way  1 " 

"Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Parlin  stonily;   "I  heard." 

"Mother,"  —  the  girl  crept  in  the  bedroom,  and 
laid  her  cheek  down  against  the  thin  white  one; 
Doris  slept,  a  round  body  of  blissful  composure,  on 
the  other  side  of  the  big  four-poster;  the  baby  was 
cuddled  in  the  trundle-bed ;  and  Debby  whispered  low 
against  the  ear  that  did  not  appear  to  notice  or  to 
care, — "I'm  going  to  give  the  alarm  too." 

"  Do  1 "  cried  her  mother  fiercely.  "  I  would  that 
I  could.  And  hark  ye,  Debby,  bear  yourself  this  day, 
whatever  comes,  as  if  you  knew  naught  of  traitors  or 
traitor's  blood  in  your  veins.  You  are  my  daughter 
too;  remember  that.  And  my  blood,  loyal  and  true, 
will  leap  to  rescue  you  from  your  shame.  Would 


"  THE   REGULARS  ARE   COMING!"  34! 

to  God  I  could  go  too,  and  could  work  and  fight." 
She  covered  her  face  with  her  thin  hands,  and  shook 
with  tearless  sobs. 

"Mother,  mother!"  cried  Debby,  thrilling  at  her 
words,  "you  will  wake  the  children.  See,  I'm  going 
now ;  give  me  my  blessing,  for  I  may  not  return,  but 
take  you  at  your  word." 

"  I  bless  you,"  said  Mrs.  Parlin  putting  both  hands 
solemnly  on  the  sunny  head;  "only  show  yourself 
worthy  of  my  blood,  and  may  God  keep  you ! " 

"  Mother,  you  will  take  the  children  and  go  over 
the  Ridge  to  Aunt  Sophia's,"  said  Debby;  "it's  safer 
there.  Take  over  the  silver  buckles  and  the  pew- 
ter ;  they  are  all  done  up  in  the  checked  apron,  you 
know.  The  Reg'lars  may  be  down  over  this  road. 
Good-by,  mother." 

"  Good-by,  my  child." 

It  all  took  but  a  few  moments,  and  Debby  was  out 
in  the  soft  light  of  the  morning  twilight.  Even  now 
it  gave  promise  of  the  "ever  glorious  morning"  with 
which  the  patriot  Adams  ushered  in  the  dawn  of  that 
memorable  day.  Without  so  much  as  a  glance  at  the 
scenes  burned  into  her  memory,  Debby  sped  on,  giv- 
ing her  young  voice  to  the  morning  air,  as  she  shrilled 
out  clear  and  high,  "  The  Reg'lars  are  coming!  The 
Reg'lars  are  coming!" 


342      A   LITTLE   MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

It  brought  Septimius  and  Aunt  Keziah  to  the 
windows  of  the  yellow  farmhouse.  "  O  Mr.  Felton," 
she  cried,  "do  come  and  help!"  Aunt  Keziah 
grunted  something  inaudible  at  a  distance ;  but  Sep- 
timius flushed  deeply,  and  closed  his  shutter  hastily. 
"  I  want  not  to  mingle  in  scenes  of  blood,"  he  said 
to  himself  as  Debby  sped  on. 

Seeming  not  to  touch  the  ground,  the  girl  ran, 
making  here  and  there  a  detour  from  the  main  road, 
down  which  she  knew  Dr.  Prescott  had  aroused  the 
inhabitants;  and  into  many  a  lonely  farmhouse  she 
rushed  to  spread  the  news  and  arouse  the  minute- 
men,  calling  and  shrilling  it  out  as  she  hasted  on 
and  on,  oblivious  to  fatigue,  and  scarce  knowing 
that  she  was  in  the  body.  And  now  the  church-bell 
clanged  out  on  the  edge  of  three  o'clock. 

At  last,  in  the  full  flush  of  the  morning  splendor, 
and  fresh  from  the  massacre  at  Lexington,  there 
marched  over  the  Old  Bay  Road,  sent  out  to  Con- 
cord Town,  eight  hundred  strong,  the  grenadiers, 
light  infantry,  and  marines,  the  "flower  of  the  Brit- 
ish army." 

Passing  the  jest  along, 
The  jubilant  host  march  on, 

and  Concord  Town,  by  her  river  of  peace,   was  wait- 
ing to  receive  them. 


"THE  REGULARS  ARE   COMING!"         343 

At  this  moment  Debby,  having  done  what  she 
could  by  way  of  summons,  now  had  a  sudden  pang 
at  thought  of  mother  and  the  children;  and  she  re- 
traced her  steps  to  rush  into  the  little  old  kitchen. 
The  children  were  crying,  and  hanging  to  Mrs.  Par- 
lin's  skirts,  who  had  clasped  her  baby  in  her  arms, 
and  now  stood  quite  bewildered  in  the  middle  of  the 
floor. 

"We  can't  get  her  out,"  sobbed  Johnny;  "we've 
pulled  and  hauled,  and  she  won't  stir  a  step." 

"Come,  mother/'  said  Debby  soothingly;  -'we 
are  going  to  Aunt  Sophia's,  you  know.  Here,  take 
my  hand.  Johnny,  you  can  carry  the  apron  bundle." 
She  could  hear  the  dull  echo  of  tramp,  tramp,  and 
her  fancy  at  least  brought  her  the  rattle  of  the 
swords  and  musketry,  with  a  sickening  dread  for 
her  little  family  about  her.  "  Hurry,  there  is  no 
time  to  lose.  Dear  mother,  come." 

"  It's  my  home,"  cried  the  distracted  woman  stub- 
bornly; "no  British  soldier  shall  drive  me  out  of 
it,"  while  the  children  roared  harder  than  ever,  and 
the  baby  in  sympathy  put  up  its  lip  and  whimpered. 

Tramp,  tramp!  it  was  clearly  denned  now;  yes, 
there  was  the  dreadful  rattling  noise,  and  voices  of 
command,  and  a  confused  babel  of  sounds  as  of  a 
large  advancing  body. 


344      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Mother,"  said  Debby,  "your  daughter  kneels  to 
you."  She  sank  down,  still  clinging  to  her  mother's 
hand.  "  In  a  few  moments  it  will  be  too  late. 
Come  mother,  dear  mother!  we  must  save  the  chil- 
dren, if  we  care  not  for  ourselves." 

At  the  word  "children"  a  shiver  passed  ov«r  the 
frame  of  Mrs.  Parlin.  She  glanced  around  at  her 
small  brood,  and  gathered  the  baby  closer  into  her 
breast.  "You  are  right,  Debby,"  she  said;  "I  will 
go  to  Sophia's." 

Debby  sprang  up,  put  Johnny,  grasping  the  blue- 
checked  apron  bundle  containing  the  silver  buckles, 
some  precious  bits  of  linen,  and  other  household 
stuff,  in  front,  marshalled  Doris,  and  still  grasping 
her  mother's  hand,  she  opened  the  old  green  door. 

A  glance  down  the  road,  a  wild  throbbing  at  the 
heart,  an  attempt  to  thrust  the  mother,  who  is  closely 
following,  back  into  the  house  —  too  late!  the  advance 
guard  of  British  soldiers,  only  a  few  rods  before  the 
army,  rushed  up  to  her,  and  charged  their  bayonets 
almost  into  her  face.  Johnny  stared,  wide-eyed  and 
dazzled  by  the  scarlet  uniforms  ablaze  with  gilt, 
stunned  into  silence.  As  for  Doris,  she  was  too 
frightened  to  open  her  mouth.  Mrs.  Parlin  dropped 
to  the  threshold,  and  strained  her  baby  to  her  breast. 

u  What  would  you  do  with  us  ?  "  demanded  Debby 


"THE  REGULARS  ARE   COMING!"         345 

with  flashing  eyes,  and  drawing  herself  to  her  full 
height.  "Do  you  send  a  full  army,"  glancing  at 
the  glittering  host,  "to  a  quiet,  peaceful  town  to 
attack  defenceless  women  and  children?  "  in  wither- 
ing scorn.  "You  see  our  defenders,"  she  pointed 
to  Doris  and  Johnny  and  the  baby,  who  peeped  out 
from  under  his  mother's  arm. 

"Egad!  but  you  are  a  bold  little  rebel,  and  need 
to  be  taken  over  to  King  George  for  treatment.  How- 
ever, I'll  let  you  off  with  a  kiss  for  my  pains,  and 
a  mouthful  of  breakfast,  pretty  one."  He  advanced 
to  her  as  he  spoke  with  that  easy  familiarity  that 
betokens  the  conqueror.  But  Debby  held  him  with 
a  clear  blue  eye,  and  he  stopped  in  a  shame-faced 
way  that  he  hoped  none  of  his  comrades  saw.  "As 
sure  as  there  is  a  God  in  heaven,"  said  the  girl, 
lifting  her  slender  hand,  and  pointing  to  the  sun- 
light reflecting  the  Ridge  in  its  golden  beauty,  "a 
curse  will  fall  on  you  this  day,  if  you  touch  one 
hair  of  our  heads.  Go  search  our  house  for  food, 
if  you  wish.  You  will  find  it  bare  enough.  God 
alone  knows  how  we  have  lived  while  we  tried  to 
serve  him.  Go,  and  find  what  you  can,  and  see 
the  cottage  you  would  rob."  She  pushed  the  door 
wide  with  her  scornful  foot,  and  viewed  them  all, 
and  the  advancing  host,  with  absolute  composure. 


346      A    LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"Let  the  girl  alone,"  commanded  the  leader,  com- 
ing up,  and  learning  the  cause  of  the  uproar,  "  Have 
we  not  all  large  work  enough  before  us  this  day 
without  wasting  our  precious  moments.  Before  night- 
fall we'll  have  every  rascally  rebel  in  this  town  under 
our  feet.  March  on,  my  men. "  He  swung  his  sword, 
and  stepped  off  down  the  road,  as  confident  a  speci- 
men of  manhood  as  one  could  hope  to  see.  And 
after  him  went  the  glittering  ranks  of  red  and  gold, 
every  man  smiling  into  the  faces  of  his  comrades. 
Oh,  what  a  feast  of  varied  pleasures  should  be  theirs 
when  once  this  proud  old  town  had  fallen  into  their 
hands! 

Debby  stood  rooted  to  the  spot,  and  gazed  after 
them.  It  was  not  until  the  last  line  had  disappeared 
in  the  curve  of  the  wayfaring,  that  she  stirred.  Her 
eyes  had  looked  upon  "the  peddler"  as  a  British 
officer,  tall  and  handsome  in  his  resplendent  uniform. 
In  that  dreadful  moment,  when  her  whole  soul  was 
calling  upon  a  righteous  God  for  vengeance  on  him, 
there  shot  to  her  from  his  piercing  dark  eye  as  he 
passed,  a  glance  of  suffering,  appealing  and  swift. 
It  went  through  her  like  a  knife. 

"Come,  mother,"  she  said,  touching  her  arm;  but 
the  mother  did  not  move,  and  Debby,  with  a  name- 
less dread  at  her  heart,  leaned  over  to  see  that  she 


"THE  REGULARS  ARE   COMING!"  347 

had  fainted,  it  was  now  the  work  of  a  few  moments 
to  resuscitate  her  as  best  she  could,  with  Doris,  whose 
dumb  admiration  changed  to  fright  and  anger,  cling- 
ing to  her,  impeding  every  movement.  At  last  Mrs. 
Parlin  opened  her  eyes.  "  O  daughter !  "  with  a  long- 
drawn  sigh,  "have  they  gone?" 

"  Yes,  mother. " 

"And  taken  nothing?  " 

"Yes." 

'•Are  your  grandfather's  silver  buckles  safe?" 

"They  are  here  in  the  bundle." 

"  Get  the  silver  pieces  in  the  stocking  leg  in  the 
chimney  closet." 

"  You  forget,  mother, "  said  Debby  in  a  low  voice 
so  the  children  might  not  hear,  "that  we  have  spent 
those  lately." 

"True,"  cried  Mrs.  Parlin  with  returning  passion, 
and  she  sprang  to  her  feet  with  sudden  energy.  "O 
Debby !  let  us  go.  They  will  come  back  here.  Shut 
the  door  fast,  though  there  is  small  hope  that  house 
or  home  will  be  left  for  us  if  we  ever  do  get  back. 
Now  let  us  be  gone  to  your  Aunt  Sophia's." 

"Are  you  able  to  walk  there,  mother?"  asked 
Debby,  gazing  at  her  fearfully. 

"Yes,  yes;  only  let  us  get  out  of  this  dreadful 
place,"  cried  the  mother  with  feverish  energy.  She 


348      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

fairly  thrust  Debby  off  the  flat  door-stone ;  and  her- 
self, with  the  baby  at  her  bosom,  rapidly  led  the 
way  up  to  the  Ridge  by  the  trail  their  feet  had  often 
worn. 

Debby  shut  the  old  green  door,  and  took  one  long 
look  around  on  all  things.  "Come,  Doris,"  she  said, 
grasping  her  fat  hand. 

Old  Aunt  Keziah  peered  out  at  them  from  her 
side  window  when  they  were  well  within  the  trail. 
"I  can't  get  Seppy  to  go;  no,  I  can't,  an'  more's 
the  pity;  for  our  house'll  be  burnt  round  our  heads, 
an'  he  doesn't  care." 

Rose  Garfield  and  Mr.  Felton  stood  by  the  old 
well  in  the  Felton  dooryard.  Debby  vouchsafed  only 
a  contemptuous  glance  at  the  pensive,  silent  man, 
like  an  indifferent  spectator  at  his  country's  peril, 
as  she  sped  on. 

Shortly  the  dense  wood  was  reached,  then  the 
plateau  was  passed.  Debby  could  hear  the  shouts 
and  confusion  of  the  town  beneath,  as  it  was  wafted 
to  her  tortured  ears,  and  her  heart  leaped  in  her 
bosom  at  what  she  believed  was  the  beginning  of 
the  slaughter  to  come  to  the  old  town;  though  that 
it  could  result  in  anything  but  victory  for  Concord, 
the  girl  never  once  allowed  herself  to  imagine. 
Drenched  in  blood  she  seemed  to  see  all  things,  in 


S    s 

5    - 


"THE  REGULARS  ARE   COMING!"  349 

a  confused  and  awful  dream;  but  out  of  it,  somehow, 
some  time,  God  was  to  interpose  and  save  his  people. 
And  fired  by  all  these  thoughts,  and  her  terrible  anx- 
iety to  be  up  at  Colonel  Barrett's,  where  she  felt 
sure  she  could  help,  Debby  put  forth  every  effort 
to  urge  the  footsteps  of  the  little  party  to  the  utmost 
speed.  On  the  wings  of  the  wind,  Mrs.  Parlin 
needed  no  urging.  Her  slender  feet  scarcely  touched 
the  ground ;  and  Debby,  impeded  by  stout  little 
Doris,  had  hard  work  to  keep  up  with  the  mother. 

At  last  the  red  roof  of  Aunt  Brown's  little  story- 
and-a-half  house  was  seen,  and  redoubling  all  their 
energies,  the  four  were  soon  at  the  kitchen-door  and 
begging  for  admittance ;  for  it  was  heavily  barred,  and 
everything  pulled  down  before  the  windows,  so  that 
they  could  not  see  within. 

"Oh,  she's  fled;  Sophia  has  fled!"  mourned  Mrs. 
Parlin,  sinking  down  exhausted  on  the  step. 

"I  don't  think  so,"  said  Debby.  "She  is  scared 
like,  she  is  so  feeble;  and  the  boys,  of  course,  are 
off  with  the  minute  company.  Aunt  Sophia!  Aunt 
Sophia  !  "  she  called,  and  rapped  on  the  little  window- 
panes. 

A  shuffling  noise  was  heard  within,  the  heavy  oaken 
bar  was  withdrawn,  and  Aunt  Sophia's  pale,  haggard 
face  appeared. 


350      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONGO KD    TOWN. 

"O  Lyddy!"  she  fell  on  her  sister's  neck  a  mo- 
ment, then  drew  her  into  the  kitchen  —  "  and  you  poor 
children.  Oh,  the  Lord  has  forsaken  us ! "  and  throw- 
ing her  apron  over  her  head,  great  sobs  shook  her  thin, 
spare  frame. 

"Take  care  of  mother,"  said  Debby,  swiftly  con- 
signing them  all  to  Aunt  Sophia.  "  You'll  be  sorry, 
aunt,  before  night  that  you  said  those  words,  for  God 
is  our  helper."  Then  she  set  a  kiss  on  her  mother's 
lips,  and  ran  off,  not  heeding,  — 

"Debby,  Deborah  Parlin!  Why,  where  is  the  girl 
going,  Lyddy?  "  from  her  aunt's  lips. 

As  swiftly  as  a  young  fawn,  knowing  no  such  word 
as  fatigue,  she  sped,  skirting  the  road,  till  she  reached 
the  confines  of  the  burying-ground  hill,  where  she 
concealed  herself  from  view,  and  silently  watched  the 
preparations  for  the  on-coming  struggle.  The  Regu- 
lars had  paused  to  reconnoitre  before  proceeding  far- 
ther on  their  way  to  secure  the  military  stores  at  the 
homestead  of  Colonel  James  Barrett  and  their  other 
hiding-places  in  the  old  town. 

The  houses  in  the  vicinity  were  shut  and  barred  in 
the  poor  way  that  was  all  they  could  command  for 
protection,  and  the  women  and  children  huddled 
within  them  for  safety.  Excited  knots  of  townspeo- 
ple might  be  seen  on  the  Milldam,  —  citizens,  militia, 


"THE  REGULARS  ARE   COMING!"  351 

minute-men,  —  trying  to  protect  all  such  Provincial 
stores  that  the  hasty  alarm  had  not  allowed  time  to 
remove  to  a  place  of  safety. 

A  part  of  Captain  Brown's  company  had  paraded  at 
daybreak.  The  minute-men  and  militia  were  also  on 
duty  on  the  Common  getting  their  ammunition  from 
the  court-house,  and  marching  down  to  see  if  the  Reg- 
ulars were  really  coming  in  over  the  Old  Bay  Road; 
while  a  party  of  the  minute  company  from  Lincoln, 
who  had  been  aroused  by  the  calls  of  Samuel  Pres- 
cott,  were  also  early  on  the  ground,  making  in  all 
something  like  one  hundred  men  armed  enough  to 
fight.  When,  behold !  about  seven  of  the  clock,  the 
glittering  forces  of  England's  trained  soldiery,  fresh 
from  the  massacre  at  Lexington,  advanced  in  all  their 
military  splendor  over  the  winding  thoroughfare,  with 
faces  set  toward  Concord  Town. 

"  Let  us  stand  our  ground ! "  cried  young  Parson 
Emerson,  who  had  been  busy  going  about  among 
the  men  to  stimulate  and  to  exhort;  "and  if  we  die, 
let  us  die  right  here !  " 

Eleazar  Brooks  of  Lincoln  was  reconnoitring  from 
the  hill,  when  some  one  cried,  "  Let  us  go  and  meet 
them  "  —  "  No;  "  he  called  sternly,  "  it  will  not  do  for 
us  to  begin  the  war;  "  and  they  waited  on  the  north- 
ern slope  of  the  burying-ground  hill  till,  one  hun- 


352      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

dred  and  fifty  strong,  they  obeyed  the  command  to 
march  to  the  Old  North  Bridge  and  — 

Hardest  of  all  to  wait, 
To  say  coolly,  one  by  one, 
"We  will  never  fire  a  single  shot 
Unless  first  fired  upon." 

The  British  army,  in  the  flower  of  its  youth  and 
beauty,  halted;  the  grenadiers  were  posted  on  the 
Common,  while  six  companies  of  light  infantry  were 
stationed  on  the  hill.  Debby,  from  her  place  of 
concealment,  could  see  all  this,  and  keep  unob- 
served herself.  Gorgeous  in  their  gay  uniforms  and 
shining  arms,  with  high  spirits,  they  chaffed  each 
other,  and  passed  the  word  of  badinage  along  their 
glittering  ranks!  What  a  pity!  Could  not  some  in- 
tervening power  keep  these  simple,  misguided  farmers 
from  further  show  of  resistance?  Really  it  was  in  the 
conquering  hearts  to  pity  the  poor  fools  who  were  to 
fall  such  easy  game  before  the  British  guns. 

And  amongst  the  glittering  ranks  of  soldiers  she 
spied  two  central  figures  of  importance  on  the  old 
hill  burying-ground.  One  of  them  had  a  field-glass, 
and  the  other  was  talking  earnestly,  both  helped  by 
the  previous  intelligence  as  to  topography  of  the 
town  and  the  location  of  the  military  stores,  from 
the  Tories  and  the  English  spies.  Debby  thrilled  at 


"THE  REGULARS  ARE   COMING!"  353 

sight  of  them,  although  she  did  not  know  that  her 
eyes  were  looking  at  Major  Pitcairn  and  Colonel 
Smith.  It  seemed  to  her  that  in  their  keeping  was 
the  destiny  of  the  town,  as  they  examined  and  con- 
sulted over  all  the  points  and  indications  of  the 
situation.  It  was  through  that  field-glass  perhaps 
that  lay  the  clews  to  the  indefensibility  of  her  poor, 
oppressed  people. 

But  even  in  that  dreadful  moment  her  heart  did 
not  falter.  With  a  prayer,  unuttered  it  is  true,  but 
just  as  surely  winging  its  way  to  the  God  of  na- 
tions, she  glanced  around  the  old  hill  burying- 
ground,  eloquent  with  the  quiet  dead,  whose  lives 
had  been  passed  in  toil,  in  oppression,  in  anguish 
and  dread,  but  never  in  a  loss  of  the  simple  and 
rugged  faith  of  their  fathers,  and  the  steadfast  hope 
of  the  help  to  come  from  the  mighty  God  whom 
they  served. 

And  thrusting  her  fingers  in  her  ears  to  shut  out 
the  ominous  signs  of  the  portending  struggle,  and 
longing  to  close  her  eyes  as  well,  she  plunged  unob- 
served down  the  back  of  the  hillside,  and  made  all 
possible  speed  toward  the  Barrett  homestead. 

It  being  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  British 
io  gain  control  of  the  two  bridges  —  the  Old  South 
and  the  Old  North  —  that  crossed  the  river  and 


354      A   LITTLE   MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

guarded  the  main  avenues  of  the  town,  the  struggle 
had  now  begun  for  their  possession.  Hoping  to 
keep  the  militia  and  minute-men  thus  at  bay,  Colo- 
nel Smith  therefore  remained  in  the  town  centre, 
while  he  sent  six  companies  of  light  infantry  to 
hold  the  North  Bridge,  and  then  to  set  about  the 
work  of  capturing  the  stores.  Out  of  these  six  com- 
panies three  were  to  guard  the  bridge ;  the  other  three 
were  ordered  to  Colonel  James  Barrett's  home  to 
destroy  the  military  stores.  The  Tenth  Regiment 
was  stationed  at  the  South  Bridge,  while  Smith  and 
Pitcairn,  with  the  grenadiers,  held  the  centre  of  the 
old  town,  pillaging  what  ammunition  and  provisions 
they  could  capture.  Excellently  well  planned,  with 
plenty  of  soldiers,  and  apparently  a  clear  field  before 
them. 

As  Debby  ran  lightly  on,  already  were  they  set 
about  their  work.  The  noise  of  it  shocked  that 
quiet  spring  morning,  and  reached  her  as  she  fled. 
On  she  rushed  over  by-path,  and  through  nook  and 
field  and  forest,  scarcely  daring  to  breathe  freely  un- 
til she  stood  in  the  Barrett  kitchen,  in  the  midst  of 
the  stout  hearts  and  busy  hands  swiftly  concealing  the 
property  of  the  town  and  the  Province,  left  as  a 
sacred  charge  to  the  shelter  of  their  household. 


SEARCHING  FOR    THE  STORES.  355 


XXIV. 

SEARCHING   FOR   THE   STORES. 

WHERE'S  Miliscent?"  cried  Debby,  bursting 
into  the  "muster-room." 

Stephen,  the  son,  had  been  posted  off  to  Price  Place 
at  the  juncture  of  the  roads,  to  warn  the  Stow  and 
Harvard  minute-men  not  to  come  down  the  Barrett 
Mill  Road,  as  this  would  make  a  meeting  certain 
with  the  British  soldiers,  momentarily  now  expected 
at  the  old  homestead. 

"  She's  been  helping  her  father  get  her  mother  and 
the  children  off  to  a  place  of  safety,"  answered 
Grandmother  Barrett,  pale  and  determined,  but  with 
a  light  in  her  eyes  no  one  had  seen  there  before.  It 
was  as  if  a  positive  delight  now  took  the  place  of 
watchful  outlook  for  impending  evil,  and  her  step 
was  as  free  as  a  girl's.  "To  the  woods  back  of  the 
house,  more'n  likely.  Then,  when  they're  fixed,  he's 
going  to  join  his  company,  and  Miliscent's  coming 
here."  She  spoke  as  if  all  this  were  only  every-day 
preparations.  One  must  rub  one's  eyes  and  believe 


356      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

himself  to  be  dreaming,  to  think  of  a  terrible  struggle 
perhaps  already  begun,  but  two  short  miles  away,  in 
a  war  for  liberty  against  oppression. 

"  Here,  Debby,  run  up  and  put  those  balls  in  a 
barrel  of  feathers  you  will  find  up  in  the  garret,"  she 
said,  pointing  to  the  ammunition  in  the  corner  on  the 
floor.  "  Sink  'em  well  down  at  the  bottom,  and  pile 
the  feathers  lightly  over  them. " 

"The  cartridges  —  oh,  where  are  they?"  cried 
Debby,  bundling  the  balls  rapidly  into  her  blue- 
checked  apron. 

"  James  took  off  the  last  load  yesterday  afternoon," 
said  grandmother.  "Thank  the  Lord,  they  will  be  do- 
ing their  blessed  work  before  long,"  she  added  grimly. 

"Oh,  yes,  thank  the  Lord!"  Debby's  brain  was  in 
a  whirl;  but  she  blessed  Him,  as  she  staggered  over 
the  attic  stairs  and  did  as  commanded.  Then,  just 
as  she  was  running  down  again,  her  eye  spied  a  big 
hair  trunk  under  some  boxes. 

"  I  remember  Miliscent  said  once,  when  we  were 
up  here  putting  away  the  butternuts,  that  there  were 
silver  pieces  in  it,  and  papers  that  must  be  saved 
if  any  harm  threatened  the  house.  I'll  look  within." 

She  got  the  boxes  off,  and  freed  the  trunk  for  obser- 
vation, and,  throwing  up  the  lid — yes,  there  were 
rolls  and  packages  of  yellowed  papers  tied  with  linen 


SEARCHING  FOR    THE  STORES.  357 

strings,  and  down  in  the  corner  was  a  stout  bag  that 
rattled  its  contents  when  shaken.  Here  doubtless 
were  the  silver  pieces.  There  was  no  time  to  lose  in 
investigation;  and  hastily  closing  the  trunk,  Debby 
thrust  the  papers  and  the  bag  down  under  the  feathers 
also  —  then  rushed  over  the  stairs. 

"  We  may  be  only  women  and  girls,"  said  grand- 
mother, "but  I  guess  we  can  outwit  our  tyrants.  Here, 
Debby,  run  with  this,  and  turn  up  the  furrow  back  of 
the  house  with  the  spade,  and  drop  it  in.  Mr.  Barrett 
has  ploughed  the  ground  up  this  morning,  and  sunk 
the  muskets  and  balls  and  other  things.  Stay,  child," 
her  busy  hand  dropped,  and  her  strong  face  grew  a 
shade  paler,  "I  forgot;  there  are  some  papers  and 
a  bag  of  silver  pieces  in "  — 

"The  old  hair  trunk  in  the  garret?"  interrupted 
Debby.  "I  hid  those  in  the  barrel  of  feathers  too, 
along  with  the  balls." 

"Now  bless  you  for  a  sharp-witted  girl,"  breathed 
Grandmother  Barrett  thankfully.  "  Save  the  pewter 
platter,  then;  we  may  need  it  for  bullets  yet.  Run, 
Debby,  child.  Oh,  if  we  can  but  get  through  before 
they  come ! " 

None  too  soon.  Just  a  breathing-space,  and  down 
the  Mill  Road  came  the  redcoats.  Some  were  whis- 
tling with  the  fun  of  the  expedition,  and  laughing  and 


358      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

chatting.  It  was  a  most  informal  raiding-party,  in- 
tent on  two  objects;  and  these  were  the  destruction 
of  the  military  stores,  and  the  capture  of  that  rebel- 
lious subject,  Colonel  James  Barrett,  to  send  over  to 
England. 

On  they  came,  right  merrily,  and  swarmed  over  the 
Barrett  meadow  and  field  and  house-place,  and  pres- 
ently they  were  within  the  old  house. 

Stephen,  hurrying  home,  fell  into  their  clutches, 
and  they  dragged  him  into  the  kitchen.  "You  are 
my  prisoner,"  thundered  the  emissary  of  King  George, 
the  officer  in  command,  as  the  soldiers  hauled  Stephen 
into  their  midst.  "I  have  orders  to  carry  you  to 
England." 

"  Those  orders  were  for  my  husband,  Colonel  James 
Barrett,"  cried  Grandmother  Barrett  spiritedly.  "This 
is  my  son  Stephen.  Touch  not  one  hair  of  that  young 
man's  head,  or  his  blood  be  upon  you.  You  were 
ordered  to  take  Colonel  James.  Take  him  if  you  can 
find  him.  Loose  my  son.  and  let  him  go  this  instant." 

"  My  orders  are  to  take  Colonel  James  Barrett  at 
all  hazards,"  said  the  officer  in  some  confusion,  fall- 
ing back.  "Take  your  hands  off  from  the  young 
man's  person,  but  keep  an  eye  to  his  movements," 
which  the  soldiers  obeyed,  their  arms  falling  to  their 
sides  sullenly. 


SEARCHING  FOR  THE  STORES.      359 

"Well,  now,  my  men,  to  work!  We've  no  time 
to  lose.  Let  the  search  begin.  Thornton,  see  that 
it  is  carried  on  thoroughly.  Let  nothing  escape 
you." 

This  to  a  younger  officer,  a  man  about  six  or  seven 
and  twenty,  tall  and  slender,  though  firmly  built,  and 
having  a  pair  of  keen  dark  eyes  in  his  pale,  re- 
fined face.  Debby.  pressing  up  back  of  Mrs.  Bar- 
rett, with  Miliscent,  who  had  just  run  over,  followed 
the  direction  of  his  command.  At  last  she  saw  him 
face  to  face,  where  he  could  not  escape  her.  It  was 
the  peddler  spy,  the  tempter  of  her  father,  the  young 
British  officer  come  to  finish  his  deadly  work. 

In  spite  of  the  peril  of  their  position,  —  the  swarm 
of  redcoats,  grounding  their  muskets  on  the  floor  and 
filling  the  house  with  their  boisterous  mirth,  and  only 
Grandmother  Barrett,  the  serving-woman,  Miliscent, 
and  herself  to  defend  the  home,  —  Debby  opened  her 
mouth  to  utter  the  torrent  of  denunciations  that  her 
bosom  could  not  contain. 

In  a  twinkling  the  young  officer  said,  "  Captain 
Parsons,  while  you  search  without,  my  men  shall  go 
above  stairs ;  "  and  with  the  word  of  command,  before 
Debby  could  utter  one  syllable,  he  and  the  squad  fol- 
lowing him  had  left  the  apartment. 

"Are  you  mad,  Debby?"  said  Miliscent  in  a  whis- 


360      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

per,  and  seizing  her  arm.  "  I  saw  you;  you  could  not 
contain  yourself." 

"  It  was  he,"  gasped  Debby,  her  hand  at  her  heart. 
"  The  villain  —  the  tempter  —  the  British  spy  !  Oh, 
why  did  I  not  have  a  chance  to  let  him  see  that  the 
Concord  maiden  is  not  afraid  of  him  and  his  wicked- 
ness ? " 

"  You  must  not,  you  shall  not  attempt  it  again," 
cried  Miliscent,  as  Captain  Parsons  was  saying, 
"  Madam,  do  you  expect  us  to  be  detained  here  in 
this  way  ?  The  stores  are  in  this  house,  and  it  will 
be  vastly  better  for  you  to  tell  us  where.  You  will 
then  be  let  off  easily,  and  probably  the  order  for  the 
capture  of  Colonel  James  will  be  revoked." 

"You  will  receive  no  help  from  me,  sir,"  replied 
Mrs.  Barrett  spiritedly.  "  Not  to  save  a  life  will 
one  of  us  lisp  a  syllable.  And  as  for  the  capture 
of  Colonel  James,  take  him  if  you  can  find  him. 
He  is  in  God's  hands,  and  he  will  deliver  him  from 
you." 

With  a  brace  of  round  oaths  the  officer  gave  the 
word,  and  the  search  began;  and  soon  in  the  cellar, 
the  kitchen,  the  barn,  and  the  sheds,  the  Regulars 
were  running  in  and  out,  in  full  spirit  with  the  work, 
and  confident  that  each  instant  the  coveted  articles 
would  come  to  light. 


SEARCHING  FOR  THE  STORES.      36 1 

Stephen  all  this  time  was  between  two  soldiers,  to 
prevent  any  interference  on  his  part.  He  clinched 
his  fist,  and  was  about  to  pitch  in  then  and  there; 
but  reflecting  that  such  a  movement  on  his  part  would 
only  bring  destruction  upon  the  house  and  its  in- 
mates, he  gulped  down  his  mortification  and  anger, 
only  mollified  by  the  thought  of  the  warning  he  had 
carried  to  the  minute-men  of  the  neighboring  towns, 
who  were  now  probably  safe  with  their  comrades  at  the 
Old  North  Bridge. 

"I'm  going  up  to  listen  at  the  foot  of  the  garret 
stairs,"  said  Miliscent.  "  They  are  up  there  now  ;  I 
hear  them.  We  must  save  those  things." 

Debby  crept  up  after  her,  the  beating  of  their  young 
hearts  seeming  to  proclaim  their  approach. 

"  There's  a  beggarly  old  Yankee  trunk.  Rip  it 
open  with  your  sword." 

But  the  lid  was  thrown  wide  without  that  trouble, 
as  the  girls,  with  bated  breath,  crouching  at  the  foot 
of  the  stairs,  well  knew. 

"  Ha  !  Grandfather's  precious  papers,  safe  —  and 
the  silver  pieces  safe;  that  is,'  so  far."  A  storm  of 
oaths  followed  the  noise  of  that  search. 

"The  old  beds  —  a  ctffse  on  these  rascally  rebels ! 
Where  have  they  hid  the  stuff?  "  roared  another  voice. 
"Tear  open  the  beds!  Confusion  to  them!  We'll 


362      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

fire  the  house  over  their  heads.  Then  the  rats  will 
tell  rather  than  roast." 

"  Hold  I "  It  was  the  voice  of  their  commander. 
"Behave  like  Englishmen  and  gentlemen  in  this 
house,  and  respect  the  rights  of  others,  or,  by  my 
sword,  you'll  find  it  the  worse  for  you.  I'll  run  you 
through." 

Debby  held  her  breath  in  stunned  silence. 

"Oh,  how  good  he  is!"  whispered  Miliscent  grate- 
fully into  her  ear. 

This  stung  her.  "  Good!"  she  spurned  the  thought, 
and  turned  on  her  with  flashing  eyes. 

"Hush,  hush!"  implored  Miliscent;  "hear  what 
they  are  saying. " 

"Rebels  have  no  rights  against  our  king,"  one  sol- 
dier ventured  to  grumble  out.  The  others  stared  at 
his  temerity. 

"You  have  only  your  orders  to  obey,"  said  the  offi- 
cer sternly;  "and  they  are  to  search  this  house 
quietly,  without  violence  or  personal  harm  to  the  oc- 
cupants. Another  word  from  you,  my  man,  and  you 
will  find  yourself  in  the  guard-room  on  your  return 
to  Boston." 

Milly  raised  her  slender  hands  and  her  beautiful 
dark  eyes  in  thankfulness  to  heaven.  Debby  gripped 
her  with  speechless  passion. 


SEARCHING   FOR    THE  STORES.  363 

The  garret  had  now  become  a  scene  of  wild  con- 
fusion. The  dragging  of  heavy  articles  about  con- 
tinued for  some  time,  as  the  search  went  on.  At  last 
oaths  and  angry  exclamations  of  disappointment  fol- 
lowed. 

"  The  barrel  yonder  of  feathers ! "  screamed  one 
soldier  at  length,  when  all  else  had  failed  to  disclose 
the  coveted  stores. 

Miliscent  wound  her  arms  around  Debby,  and  the 
two  gazed  in  anguish  in  each  other's  faces. 

"There  is  no  good  to  be  obtained  by  our  waiting 
longer,"  said  the  officer.  "  Go  below,  men  !  " 

One  soldier  hung  back,  and  rushed  to  the  barrel, 
thrusting  his  hand  into  the  feathers. 

"  You  fool  you !  plough  up  those  feathers,  will  you," 
jeered  the  rest.  ;<What  do  you  expect  to  get  there 
for  your  pains  ?  "  sang  out  one  man.  "  Another  goose, 
perhaps,  to  match  you. "  A  roar  of  laughter  greeted 
this  sally,  a  rattle  of  bayonets  on  the  floor  in  applause, 
and  a  chorus  of  jeers,  the  victim  of  it  all  turning 
back  from  the  barrel  with  a  red  face  and  discomfited 
manner. 

"Fly,  Debby,"  warned  Miliscent;  "they  are  coming 
down ! " 

Debby,  torn  with  conflicting  emotions,  the  upper- 
most one  being  anger  at  Miliscent's  gratitude  to  the 


364      A   LITTLE   MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

British  officer,  dashed  after  her,  her  blue  stuff  gown 
catching  on  a  long  nail  by  the  side  of  the  doorway 
leading  up  the  attic  stairs.  She  pulled  at  it  to  tear 
herself  free,  but  cloth  was  made  honestly  in  those 
days,  and  it  would  not  yield.  They  were  close  upon 
her;  she  was  surrounded  by  armed  men,  the  muskets 
were  at  her  head,  the  bayonets  as  well;  and  helpless 
and  alone,  Miliscent,  supposing  herself  followed  by 
Debby,  having  reached  grandmother's  side  by  this 
time,  she  was  in  the  centre  of  a  baffled  crowd  of 
soldiery,  whose  angry  eyes  gave  her  no  good  reason 
to  expect  any  mercy. 

As  many  of  the  men  as  were  near  him  were  thrust 
aside  impetuously.  "Allow  me,"  said  the  young  offi- 
cer, as  deferentially  as  though  she  were  a  great  lady 
and  he  her  guest.  And  in  an  instant  he  had  released 
Debby's  gown,  and  with  one  quick  movement,  his 
fingers  closing  on  her  arm,  he  had  put  her  behind 
him.  It  was  impossible  to  describe  Debby's  feel- 
ings at  the  touch  of  his  hated  hand,  so  gentle  and 
deferential,  yet  with  a  grip  that  was  like  steel.  She 
trembled  with  passion. 

"  Ah ! "  she  cried,  "  I  would  rather  die  than  be 
saved  by  you ; "  and  she  shook  herself  free,  and 
looked  him  full  in  the  piercing  eyes. 

"  The   saucy   rebel !  "    cried  one   of    the   soldiers. 


SEARCHING  FOR    THE  STORES.  365 

advancing  on  her.  "  You  shall  pay  for  this,  girl, 
and  find  out  what  it  is  to  defy  English  authority," 
clamored  another  threateningly. 

''Silence!"  thundered  their  commander,  drawing 
his  sword;  "the  maiden  is  sore  distressed.  Are  you 
men,  with  mothers  and  sisters,  that  you  would  add 
to  her  suffering?  March  below!" 

Debby  essayed  to  speak;  but  the  rattle  of  their 
arms  and  their  heavy  tread,  as  they  filed  by  her, 
with  flashing  eyes  and  glances  that  boded  no  good, 
drowned  all  her  attempts.  She  was  only  conscious,  as 
the  noise  decreased,  that  the  tall  figure  of  the  British 
officer  was  before  her,  and  that  they  were  alone. 

"May  heaven  forgive  me  for  what  I  have  done," 
he  said  in  a  low  tone.  "  Miss  Parlin,  it  could  not 
be  undone.  I  must  warn  you  now  that  your  father 
is  here  to-day  with  our  men." 

She  had  no  time  to  utter  even  a  low  cry  of  an- 
guish, for  his  hand  gripped  her  arm  again.  "  For- 
give me,"  he  said,  "  but  I  cannot  again  hold  back 
my  soldiers  if  they  hear  you.  Your  father  was  forced 
to  come.  Do  not  turn  against  him.  Believe  me, 
he  will  do  no  harm  to  his  townsmen,"  he  added 
significantly.  "  I  will  save  you  and  your  people 
from  every  annoyance,  and  pray  God  we  shall  re- 
turn quietly  to  Boston." 


366      A    LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCOXD    TOWN. 

"And  I,"  said  Debby  deliberately,  in  a  low,  clear 
voice,  "pray  God  that  I  may  die  before  sinking  to 
the  shame  of  a  rescue  from  the  slayer  of  my  father's 
honor. " 

He  drew  back  with  a  swift  expression  of  suffer- 
ing in  his  piercing  dark  eyes,  bowed  silently,  and 
motioned  for  her  to  proceed  before  him  to  the  rooms 
below.  Debby  swept  off,  holding  her  head  high  on 
her  slender  neck,  gained  the  "muster-room,"  swarm- 
ing with  soldiery,  heard  him  say  to  Captain  Par- 
sons, "We  could  find  nothing,  although  our  search 
has  been  exhaustive." 

"  Hark  ye  !  "  exclaimed  Captain  Parsons  sharply,  as 
Grandmother  Barrett  uttered  a  "  Heaven  be  praised!" 
"your  gratitude  is  short-lived.  While  we  have  pos- 
session of  the  whole  town,  as  we  presently  shall, 
the  matter  of  a  few  stores  is  of  trifling  importance. 
Now  give  us  something  to  eat,"  looking  into  the 
sullen  and  disappointed  faces  of  his  men,  "  for  verily 
we  need  it  sorely. " 

"Yes,  give  us  something  to  eat,"  they  clamored. 

"We  are  commanded  to  feed  our  enemies,"  said 
Mrs.  Barrett  with  dignity.  So  she  gave  orders  to 
Miliscent,  to  Debby,  and  to  the  serving-woman,  to 
set  forth  the  doughnuts  and  the  big  pans  of  milk, 
the  boiled  meat  and  the  bread  and  ham  and  the 


SEARCHING  FOR    THE   STORES.  367 

pies,  on  the  mahogany  centre-table.  "  Draw  up,  and 
eat  your  fill,"  she  said  when  all  was  ready,  with 
the  air  of  a  queen  dispensing  royal  favors. 

"Truly  the  old  lady  has  grit  in  her,"  observed 
one  soldier  to  his  comrade,  as  they  took  their  por- 
tions of  food  to  a  quiet  corner. 

"I  like  those  two  pretty  maidens,  and  I'll  have 
a  bout  with  them,"  said  the  comrade  who  had  re- 
mained below  stairs  with  Captain  Parsons's  company, 
and  fixing  his  eyes  on  the  two  girls,  obeying,  but 
with  panting  bosoms  and  flashing  eyes,  the  commands 
of  grandmother  to  set  the  food  on  the  table. 

"Better  not;  I  think  that  the  flaxen  hair  and  blue 
eyes  is  the  identical  maiden  we  encountered  at  the 
cottage  some  three  miles  from  here,  before  we  reached 
the  town." 

"  The  veriest  nonsense ! "  exclaimed  the  other, 
munching  his  bread  and  beef  with  a  gusto;  "that 
little  maid  is  saying  her  prayers  with  chattering  teeth 
in  her  home  chimney.  Fancy  her  running  up  here 
into  our  muskets.  Ha,  ha,  ha !  " 

"You  may  laugh  if  you  like,"  said  the  other  dog- 
gedly; "but  I'll  take  my  oath  she  is  one  and  the 
same.  She'd  have  slain  me  with  her  eyes,  and  flown 
at  us  tooth  and  nail,  if  we  had  not  turned  away  and 
left  her  poor  miserable  little  house  in  safety.  The 


368      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

temper  of  this  one  is  just  the  same.  Let  these  girls 
alone,  and  stir  them  not  up  by  any  notice.  Our 
orders  are  not  for  such  work." 

"Nevertheless,  I  shall  try  my  luck  with  that  fair 
rebel,"  persisted  the  first  soldier  stubbornly,  "and 
get  a  word  and  a  kiss." 

"And  your  head  cracked  for  your  pains."  Another 
comrade  drew  near.  "You  should  have  been  up- 
stairs with  us  to  have  seen  Lieutenant  Thornton. 
Confusion  to  him;  we  were  about  to  teach  that  same 
saucy  little  rebel  to  respect  the  English  army,  but 
he  interposed." 

"  Did  he  so  ? "  cried  the  other  men. 

"And  hark  ye  —  we  must  move  carefully  with  him 
around,"  dropping  his  voice;  "he's  the  devil  and 
all,  as  you  know,  when  he's  roused." 

"The  aristocrat!"  grumbled  the  soldiers  under 
their  breath,  prefixing  the  title  with  an  oath. 

Captain  Parsons  was  throwing  some  pieces  of  gold 
into  Dame  Barrett's  lap.  "We  are  not  robbers;  we 
pay  for  what  we  eat,"  he  said. 

"We  take  not  the  price  of  blood,"  she  replied  with 
spirit,  tossing  them  back;  but  he  left  them  where  they 
fell. 

"  Now  collect  the  gun-carriages,  and  we  will  fire 
them,"  was  his  order. 


SEARCHING   FOR    THE  STORES.  369 

One  of  the  sergeants  interrupted.  "We  have  hard 
work  before  us,  Captain;  we  must  have  some  spirit 
to  drink.  This  house  must  hold  a  lot  of  the  stuff, 
or  at  least  some  cider;  and  this  Yankee  drink  is 
not  bad,  you  know." 

"Not  a  drop!"  commanded  the  captain  sternly,  and 
drawing  his  sword.  "  Hard  work  we  have  before  us, 
ay,  and  bloody  as  well,  before  the  sun  goes  down. 
We  will  do  it  as  Englishmen,  and  not  as  drunken 
fools.  Hark!  the  firing  has  commenced.  March! 
my  men,  and  wipe  out  the  rascally  rebels ! " 

The  scattered  redcoats  formed  into  glittering 
ranks.  Angry  though  they  were  at  the  failure  to 
secure  the  coveted  stores,  yet  they  preserved  their 
good  temper  at  the  prospect  of  the  victory  that  should 
lay  the  whole  town  in  one  conquest  at  their  feet. 
Military  stores  and  everything  else  would,  before 
nightfall,  be  theirs.  They  could  afford  to  bear  little 
annoyances  now.  They  beat  a  hasty  retreat,  the  two 
comrades  who  had  discussed  the  charms  of  Debby 
and  Miliscent  gave  them  a  parting  glance  of  admira- 
tion, the  audacious  one  kissing  his  fingers  toward 
Debby's  pretty  face,  despite  her  anger,  which  amused 
him  greatly. 

The  firing  indeed  had  begun  at  the  bridge,  although 
as  the  detachment  left  the  house,  and  started  on  a 


37O      A   LITTLE   MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

quick  step  down  the  Barrett  Mill  Road,  they  did 
not  then  know  their  destination,  where  they  should 
get  into  the  battle  they  were  so  eager  to  help  for- 
ward. 

Debby  seized  Miliscent  with  her  strong  young 
hands,  and  drew  her  off  to  the  little  entry.  Stephen 
had  rushed  off  the  minute  the  soldiers  turned  their 
backs,  and  was  already  half  across  the  fields,  on 
his  way  to  the  conflict.  Mrs.  Barrett  had  sunk  to 
her  knees  in  prayer,  while  the  serving-woman  was 
pottering  about  the  remnants  of  the  food,  with  a 
"  Lord  have  mercy  on  us,  how  those  British  do  eat !  " 
and  mumbling  a  spasmodic  and  scanty  petition  to 
Heaven  as. the  report  of  each  volley  at  the  bridge 
smote  her  ear. 

"I've  got  a  gun,  and  I'm  going!"  cried  Debby  in 
a  hoarse  tone.  "Kiss  me  good-by,  Miliscent,  and  — 
and"- 

"  You  are  mad  !  "  cried  Miliscent,  her  dark  eyes  di- 
lating in  terror.  "You  are  a  girl.  It  is  improper  !  " 

"I  shall  go."  Debby's  spirit  flashed  high.  "It  is 
no  more  improper  than  for  us  to  make  the  cartridges." 


THE  "SHOT  HEARD  ROUND  THE  WORLD."  371 


XXV. 

THE  "SHOT  HEARD  ROUND  THE  WORLD." 

MEANTIME,  during  all  this  search  for  the  mili- 
tary stores  at  Colonel  James  Barrett's,  the 
grenadiers  and  marines  under  Smith  and  Pitcairn 
were  alert  and  determined  at  the  same  work  in  the 
centre  of  the  old  town.  But  the  distress  and  priva- 
tion and  suffering  the  citizens  had  gone  through  with 
had  sharpened  their  wits,  and  the  larger  portion  of 
the  oubiic  stores  were  now  concealed  in  such  places 
where  they  were  practically  safe ;  the  remainder  must 
be  defended  by  the  tact  and  the  cleverness  of  the  be- 
sieged inhabitants.  Despite  all  their  efforts,  however, 
about  sixty  barrels  of  flour  were  burst  open ;  the  trun- 
nions of  three  cannon  were  knocked  off;  carriage- 
wheels  were  burned;  and  wooden  trenchers  and  spoons, 
and  hundreds  of  pounds  of  balls,  found  a  resting-place 
in  the  millpond  and  the  wells  of  the  vicinity.  The 
flames  overcoming  the  liberty  pole  on  the  hill  had 
been  started,  firing  the  hearts  of  the  townspeople  into 
fresh  anger,  but  not  dismay,  when  a  British  officer 


372      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

stalked  up  to  Captain  Timothy  Wheeler.  "  Open  your 
barn,"  was  the  order,  short  and  sharp.  The  barn  was 
opened  by  Captain  Wheeler  with  a  "  Certainly,  sir," 
that  charmed  by  its  ready  acquiescence  in  the  inevita- 
ble ;  and  there  was  a  stock  of  Provincial  flour,  together 
with  some  belonging  to  himself,  now  revealed  to  the 
devastating  hand  of  the  enemy. 

Captain  Wheeler  put  his  hand  on  a  barrel.  "I  am 
a  miller,  sir.  Yonder  stands  my  mill.  I  get  my  liv- 
ing by  it.  In  the  winter  I  grind  a  great  deal  of  grain, 
and  get  it  ready  for  market  in  the  spring.  This  is  my 
flour;"  touching  another  barrel,  "this  is  my  wheat;" 
and  pointing  to  another  cask,  "this  is  my  rye." 

"In  that  case,"  said  the  officer  with  a  longing 
glance  around,  "I  must  leave  it  untouched.  We  do 
not  injure  private  property." 

The  tumult  was  now  great.  The  soldiers,  maddened 
by  the  pillage  they  had  succeeded  in  effecting,  but 
more  by  what  they  had  missed,  rushed  hither  and 
thither,  without  strict  military  discipline  or  order, 
only  intent  on  destroying  as  much  of  the  public 
property  as  possible.  The  Province  treasurer,  who 
boarded  during  the  sessions  of  Congress  at  the  tavern 
of  Ephraim  Jones,  left  in  his  care  the  chest  contain- 
ing money  and  important  enclosures.  At  this  time 
Captain  Jones  was  a  prisoner,  with  five  bayonets 


THE  "SHOT  HEARD  ROUND  THE  WORLD."  373 

"fixed  and  pointing  at  him."  But  wanting  some 
refreshment  at  the  bar,  the  guard  of  five  soldiers 
released  him  for  this  purpose,  and  then  searched  his 
house,  as  were  all  houses  searched,  if  the  soldiery 
were  so  disposed;  and  there  they  discovered  the  chest. 
But  Hannah  Barns,  a  member  of  the  family,  spoke 
up,  "This  is  my  room,  and  contains  my  property." 
They  parleyed  and  bickered ;  but  she  stood  her  ground 
sturdily,  and  forced  them  to  retire. 

"The  court-house  is  on  fire!  Quick!  the  top  of 
the  house  is  filled  with  powder;  and  if  you  do  not  put 
the  fire  out,  you  will  all  be  killed  !  "  screamed  Mrs. 
Martha  Moulton,  who  lived  near,  and  who,  with  a 
servant  of  Dr.  Minott  across  the  way,  was  endeavor- 
ing to  extinguish  the  flames.  On  this  the  British 
soldiers  in  the  vicinity  turned  to  and  gave  them  as- 
sistance. 

Into  the  houses  rushed  the  soldiery,  now  hungry 
and  defiant.  The  whole  town  was  in  an  uproar,  and 
swarmed  with  redcoats;  while  the  defenceless  citizens, 
too  old  to  fight,  and  the  women  and  children,  with  the 
able-bodied  men  who  were  set  to  guard  the  public 
stores,  were  the  sole  defenders  of  the  town. 

Over  at  the  South  Bridge,  meanwhile,  Captain  Mun- 
dey  Pole,  of  the  Tenth  British  Regiment,  and  his 
squad,  set  up  a  special  search  at  the  house  of  Eph- 


374      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

raim  Wood.  His  distinguished  patriotism  and  his 
public  office  in  the  town  made  him  a  shining  mark, 
and  they  hoped  to  secure  him.  But  he  was  "  engaged 
in  directing  the  important  events  of  the  day,  and 
assisting  to  remove  the  stores;  "  and  thus,  being  from 
home,  he  escaped.  All  this  time  the  minute-men  and 
military  companies  from  the  adjoining  towns  were 
assembling,  until  now  there  were  in  the  neighborhood 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty  men. 

Joseph  Hosmer,  acting  adjutant,  "  formed  the  sol- 
diers as  they  arrived,  singly  or  in  squads,  the  minute 
companies  on  the  right,  and  the  militia  on  the  left 
facing  the  town."  He  then,  observing  an  unusual 
smoke  arising  from  the  centre  of  the  village,  went  to 
the  officers  and  citizens  in  consultation  on  the  high 
ground  near  by,  and  inquired  earnestly,  "Will  you 
let  them  burn  the  town  down?"  and  they  "resolved 
to  march  into  the  middle  of  the  town  to  defend  their 
homes,  or  die  in  the  attempt,  and  at  the  same  time 
they  resolved  not  to  fire  unless  first  fired  upon." 

Colonel  Barrett  has  given  orders  to  march;  Major 
Buttrick  has  led  the  men  in  double  file  to  the  spot, 
—  the  birthplace  of  liberty  and  the  triumph  of  the 
American  cause;  the  Acton  minute-men  with  Cap- 
tain Davis  at  their  head,  and  the  Concord  minute 
company  under  Captain  Brown,  get  into  position  in 


THE   OLD    NORTH    BRIDGE. 

King  George's  troops  stood  where  The    Minute    Man   marks  the 

the  monument  was  erected.  position  of  the  Provinci 

And  the  river  rolled  between. 


THE  "SHOT  HEARD  ROUND  THE  WORLD."  375 

front ;    and  the  quiet  river  of   peace  slips  gently  by 
at  their  feet. 

Over  on  the  east  side,  the  rustic  bridge  between, 
the  British  are  tearing  up  the  planks.  Major  But- 
trick,  in  a  loud  tone,  orders  them  to  desist.  A  few 
shots  are  discharged  into  the  river,  probably  as 
"alarm  guns;"  and  then  a  single  gun,  in  the  hands 
of  a  British  soldier,  speeds  a  ball  that  strikes  Luther 
Blanchard  of  the  Acton  company  and  Jonas  Brown 
of  the  Concord  company,  both  minute-men.  Now 
follows  a  volley  from  the  British.  Isaac  Davis  and 
Abner  Hosmer,  both  of  Acton,  fall  dead.  Brave 
Major  Buttrick  leaps  from  the  ground,  and  cries,— 

"Fire,  fellow-soldiers!  for  God's  sake,  fire!"  and 
the  embattled  farmers,  so  long  held  back,  respond 
with  "the  shot  heard  round  the  world." 

It  was  at  this  instant,  "between  ten  and  eleven 
o'clock,"  that  the  three  companies  under  Captain 
Parsons  were  on  the  double-quick  step  from  the 
search  for  the  military  stores  at  Colonel  James  Bar- 
rett's, that  Stephen  was  rushing  across  the  fields, 
and  Debby  was  securing  the  "grand'ther's  musket" 
she  had  taken  pains  to  have  ready  against  the  time 
of  need.  Oh,  wonder  of  wonders !  the  British,  leaving 
their  dead  and  wounded,  are  running  by  the  bridge! 
the  scarlet  uniforms  in  a  mad  confusion  and  rout, 


376      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

closely  pursued  by  the  embattled  farmers  with  stern, 
set  faces,  and  firing  as  they  go  at  the  flying  foe, 
intent  on  getting  over  the  great  field  to  stop  the  en- 
emy at  Merriam's  Corner.  All  military  order  now  is 
broken  up.  Henceforth  it  is  to  be  each  man  fighting 
for  freedom,  and  each  man  defending  himself  on  the 
retreat. 

Debby,  skirting  the  thicket  at  the  foot  of  the  Ridge, 
and  concealed  by  the  thick  growth  of  young  pines  and 
scrub  oak,  unmindful  of  the  heavy  musket  she  carries, 
looks  about  with  watchful  eyes.  Ha  I  here  runs  a 
hated  redcoat,  and  then  a  squad  of  the  flying  enemy. 
Now  God  defend  her  good  right  arm  and  give  her 
clear  sight;  but  without  warning  the  foremost  man 
turns  suddenly,  leaves  the  thoroughfare,  and  plunges 
into  the  "heart  of  her  covert,"  disturbing  her  aim, 
while  the  rest  rush  on.  She  pauses,  her  fingers 
on  the  trigger.  He  has  laid  down  his  gun,  and  is 
tearing  off  his  coat  to  thrust  it  from  him  with  mad 
gesture,  tossing  out  his  long  arms  to  heaven.  She 
shuts  her  eyes.  "O  God!  I  cannot  kill  him  thus  de- 
fenceless;" and  waits,  praying  for  strength  to  do  it 
when  he  sees  her,  and  it  is  an  equal  fight.  He  turns, 
seizes  his  gun  from  the  earth,  and  meets  her  eyes. 
" Father!"  she  screams. 

"I   haven't   fired  a  shot,"   he   said   hoarsely.     "I 


THE  "SHOT  HEARD  ROUND  THE  WORLD."  377 

was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  at  the  bridge  ;  but 
although  I  prayed  to  die,  every  ball  passed  me  by. 
Hinder  me  not;  I  am  John  Parlin  of  Concord  Town 
once  more,  and  God  give  this  gun  power  over  the 
tyrant." 

She  was  at  his  knees,  sobbing  and  clasping  them 
with  her  arms.  "  O  father,  father !  "  she  moaned, 
"forgive  me  for  the  wicked  thoughts  against  you." 

He  lifted  her  from  the  damp  spring  mould.  "Kiss 
me,  child,"  he  said  solemnly,  "and  say,  'Father,  I 
know  you  love  your  country  now." 

She  said  the  words  after  him  between  her  tears, 
and  laid  her  head  on  his  bosom,  soothing  his  bronzed 
cheek  and  hair  with  her  hand. 

"Put  away  your  gun,  Debby, "  he  said,  "or  give 
it  to  some  man  to  use  upon  the  enemy."  He  seemed 
to  guess  at  her  reason  for  carrying  it,  and  it  brought 
the  hot  blood  to  her  cheek  to  see  that  he  divined 
it.  "Your  father  will  do  your  work  now.  One  more 
kiss  now,  daughter;  for  this  day  will  be  my  last  on 
earth,  something  tells  me,  and  it  is  better  so." 

"Father!"  she  screamed  after  him,  and  fell  sense- 
less on  the  red  coat  he  had  spurned. 

John  Parlin  strode  over  the  Ridge  his  feet  knew  so 
well ;  and  deadly  was  every  ball  he  sent  at  the  flying 
redcoats  on  the  Old  Bay  Road  beneath,  harassed  and 


3/8      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

spent,  not  knowing  where,  behind  stone  wall  or  tree, 
in  thicket  or  covert,  the  invisible  enemy  were  in- 
trenched. With  feverish  haste  he  pressed  on,  load- 
ing and  firing,  and  loading  again,  leaving  all  along 
the  thoroughfare  the  dead  foe  to  mark  his  swift,  un- 
erring aim.  He  only  paused  a  moment  when  he 
reached  his  cottage,  and  raised  his  head  to  look  at 
it,  half  expecting  to  find  it  burned  to  the  ground. 
There  it  stood;  but  the  memory  of  the  happy  days 
passed  within,  and  the  wreck  of  the  sweet  confidence, 
changed  to  bitterness  and  wrath,  burned  into  his 
soul  as  he  thought  of  his  wife.  "  She  will  know 
that  I  am  true  to  my  country  now."  He  did  not 
dare  to  trust  himself  to  even  look  within  the  small- 
paned  window  for  the  sight  of  her  face  for  which 
he  longed,  despite  the  abiding  scorn  and  shame  he 
had  seen  there  in  many  stolen  visits  in  silent  re- 
morse, but  plunged  on  to  the  fight  beyond. 

They  were  hotly  at  work  when  he  came  up  at 
Merriam's  Corner.  The  king's  troops,  vainly  en- 
deavoring to  keep  together  and  retreat  in  good  or- 
der, became  surrounded  at  this  point,  where  the  old 
Bedford  road  ran  into  the  main  thoroughfare,  by  the 
Provincials.  These  made  a  spirited  attack,  led  on 
by  a  tall,  square-shouldered,  sinewy  minute-man,  who 
was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fray.  At  too  short  range 


THE  "SHOT  HEARD  ROUND  THE  WORLD."  379 

sometimes  to  use  his  trusty  musket,  he  then  em- 
ployed his  fists,  that,  like  sledge-hammers,  brought 
down  their  man  every  time.  His  blue  eyes  shone; 
and  his  hair,  tossed  back  from  his  brow,  disclosed  a 
long  sabre  cut  that  had  trickled  blood  all  down  his 
homespun  clothes.  But  he  knew  it  not,  and  felt 
nothing  but  exultation  running  high  in  his  veins, 
as  he  endeavored  to  keep  the  British  from  massing 
together  to  a  successful  resistance. 

''That's  right.  At  it,  Abner!  "  shouted  John  Par- 
lin  from  the  hilltop,  and  dashing  down  to  his  as- 
sistance with  a  yell.  The  enemy,  made  desperate 
by  concealed  foes,  and  thinking  it  the  cry  of  a  party 
of  re-enforcements,  lost  heart  in  the  mad  confusion  of 
the  moment;  and  the  bloody  encounter  that  ensued, 
in  which  the  Provincials,  surrounding  them  on  all 
sides,  easily  picked  off  their  men,  resulted  in  a  com- 
plete rout  of  the  foe,  in  which  not  a  farmer  was 
injured. 

Abner,  at  that  cry,  glanced  for  a  moment  in  its 
direction,  saw  that  it  was  Debby's  father,  and  dealt 
his  blow  that  felled  the  scarlet  coat  before  him  to 
the  dust,  then  gathered  up  his  soul  with  a  new  glad- 
ness as  he  fought  on. 

It  was  an  awful  struggle.  The  British  moved  off, 
to  be  caught  up  by  balls  from  invisible  opponents. 


380      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

laid  low  in  the  dust,  and  trampled,  perchance,  by 
mad,  on-rushing  feet.  Into  the  very  teeth  of  mus- 
kets, run  out  over  the  stone  walls,  some  plunged  to 
their  death,  as  the  farmers  dashed  ahead  to  wait  for 
the  foe,  hurrying  on  their  retreat  ;  then  the  assail- 
ants would  dash  ahead  to  repeat  this  process,  till  the 
brilliant  troops  were  sadly  decimated,  and  reduced  to 
a  straggling,  chaotic  company  in  flight  for  their  lives. 
Abner  and  John  Parlin  kept  together,  bound  by  more 
than  the  common  tie  of  love  of  country.  It  rejoiced 
the  stalwart  young  farmer  to  see  that  wherever  the 
danger  was  the  greatest  and  the  conflict  the  thick- 
est, Debby's  father  was  there,  his  passionate  face 
upturned,  his  head  bare,  and  in  his  shirt-sleeves, 
fiercely  waging  such  an  onslaught  that  the  redcoats, 
at  sight  of  him,  ran  in  dismay.  "When  it  is  all 
over,"  flashed  through  Abner 's  mind  in  the  horrid 
tumult,  "  if  I  live,  how  I  can  gladden  Debby's  heart 
by  the  recital,  and  how  proud  he  will  be;  "  for  that 
such  invincible  strength  could  be  conquered  seemed 
past  belief.  The  next  instant  a  flashing  sword  de- 
scended on  the  bare  head  before  him.  It  was  in  the 
hand  of  an  officer,  who  came  up  unseen,  as  Parlin 
was  fighting  the  soldiers  in  front  of  him;  and  to  Ab- 
ner's  horrified  vision  it  seemed  to  cleave  the  body 
from  crown  to  toe.  The  officer  then  turned,  and  ran 


THE  "SHOT  HEARD  ROUND  THE  WORLD."  381 

to  the  woods.  Abner  dealt  fury  and  destruction  to 
all  in  his  path,  and  ran  to  kneel  and  take  the  poor 
maimed  head  of  Debby's  father  upon  his  breast. 

"Tell  her  and  my  wife  "  —  as  he  sighed  his  life  out 
against  the  young  man's  heart,  amid  the  tramp  of 
the  departing  enemy,  leaving  them  alone  on  the 
highway  —  "that  I  "  —  and  his  eyes  glazed. 

"All  shall  be  told,"  said  Abner,  careless  of  the 
danger  he  was  in  as  he  knelt  there.  "For  love  of 
country  you  die,"  he  added,  as  the  breath  left  the 
body.  He  dragged  John  Parlin  gently  to  the  road- 
side, and  broke  off  a  branch  of  pine,  covering  with 
it  the  poor,  still  face,  bathed  in  blood;  then  he  ran 
off,  mad  to  avenge  Debby's  father. 

Skulking  behind  every  protecting  bush  and  shrub 
and  tree  and  stone  wall,  ducking  at  every  step,  crept  a 
negro,  alternately  clasping  his  trembling  black  hands 
and  mumbling  in  fright,  and  raising  a  head  where  the 
wool  had  whitened  fast,  to  peer  about  the  spot  like 
a  frightened  rabbit.  It  was  at  the  foot  of  the  Ridge, 
and  just  a  short  remove  from  the  Parlin  cottage. 
When  Pompey  saw  where  he  was  (for  Pompey  it  was) 
he  breathed  the  first  sigh  of  relief  for  many  an  hour. 
"Golly,  ef  I  can't  creep  in  yere  and  rest  a  bit;  I'm 
all  tired  to  def;  an'  Massa  Abner  he  give  me  gun, 
an'  tell  me  to  fight,  but  I  done  los  it  long  ago." 


382      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

Pompey  scratched  his  wool  helplessly,  unable  to  sat- 
isfy himself  why  he  hadn't  fought,  or  where  the  gun 
was  now.  He  only  knew  he  had  been  caught  up,  as 
it  were,  on  the  tide  of  the  rushing  throng  that  had 
swept  him  like  a  dark  leaf  on  the  swift  current  down 
the  Old  Bay  Road,  until  too  scared  to  attempt  a  re- 
turn, he  only  sought  shelter  till  the  hot  conflict 
should  be  over. 

"Pompey,"  said  a  voice  he  wanted  least  of  any  in 
the  world  to  hear.  He  instinctively  ducked,  and 
clapped  both  black  hands  over  his  shins. 

"It  is  I  who  am  at  your  mercy  now,"  said  he 
who  had  been  the  peddler,  now  the  young  British 
officer.  He  was  lying  prone  upon  the  ground,  at 
such  a  short  distance  removed  that  the  trembling 
negro  must  have  discovered  him  before  but  for  the 
panic  into  which  he  was  plunged.  "  Take  my  gun," 
he  tapped  it  with  his  long  fingers,  — how  well  Pompey 
remembered  those  fingers, —  "and,  Pompey,  take 
good  aim,''  as  the  darkey,  shaking  like  a  leaf,  re- 
ceived the  weapon.  "Look  at  me;  you  are  to  shoot 
me  through  the  head  —  through  the  head,  remember. " 

"Oh,  golly,  massa!"  exclaimed  Pompey,  tumbling 
back  in  terror;  "I  couldn't  go  fer  to  murder  you;" 
the  gun  executing  nimble  movements  :  .  Ms  quaking 
fingers. 


THE   "SHOT  I/KAKH   KOUKD    THE    WORLDS    383 

"  You  will  do  the  job  if  you  do  not  exercise  more 
care,  Pompey,  and  kill  yourself  as  well,"  observed 
the  young  officer.  "Now,  listen.  I  am  an  enemy  of 
your  country,  whom  it  is  not  only  lawful,  but  it 
would  be  a  praiseworthy  action  on  your  part,  to  kill. 
I  beseech  you,  therefore,  Pompey,  to  despatch  me 
at  once.  I  assure  you  I  have  no  wish  to  live,  and 
would  thank  anybody  for  putting  me  out  of  exist- 
ence," he  added  bitterly. 

"  Maybe  you  ain't  much  hurt,  massa,"  said  Pompey, 
dropping  the  gun  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  long 
fingers,  and  still  with  a  thought  for  his  shins  he 
knelt  down  in  a  heap  at  the  young  officer's  side. 

"Ah,  Pompey,  I  am  afraid  not;  'tis  but  a  trifle  in 
the  side  here.  Never  mind  the  blood ;  it  needs 
not  to  be  quenched.  Listen.  I  wronged  you  too. 
Forgive  every  kick." 

Pompey's  shins  quivered,  and  he  wriggled  them 
under  him.  "  I  fergib  ye,  massa,"  he  said  humbly. 

"  Can  you  remember  a  message,  do  you  think?" 
suddenly  asked  the  young  officer,  with  a  piercing 
gleam  of  his  dark  eyes. 

"I  specs  I  kin,  ef  'tisn't  too  long,  massa." 

"Say  after  me:  MissParlin." 

"Is  that  Miss  Debby  or  her  ma?"  queried  Pom- 
pey suddenly. 


384      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

"  Miss  Deborah,  you  black  rascal.  Don't  inter- 
rupt; you  are  to  say:  Miss  Par  1  in." 

"You  are  to  say  Miss  Parlin,"  repeated  Pompey 
like  a  parrot. 

"  No,  no,"  cried  the  young  officer  impatiently, 
and  trying  to  raise  himself  to  his  elbow. 

"No,  no,"  said  the  negro,  with  violent  efforts  to  do 
it  all  just  right  this  time. 

The  young  officer  sank  back,  his  face  growing 
whiter,  and  closed  his  eyes. 

"He  goin*  to  die  fer  shore,"  groaned  Pompey; 
"then  what  become  o'  dis  darkey?  Maybe  de  Brit- 
ishers will  tink  I  killed  him.  Wake  up,  massa,  don't 
go  an'  leave  Pompey." 

He  fairly  shook  the  lithe  figure,  in  his  terror. 

"Will  you  tell  Miss  Deborah  Parlin  that  I  never 
fired  a  shot  at  her  countrymen,  and  that  I  did  what  I 
could  to  undo  the  wrong  I  had  done?  "  demanded  the 
young  officer,  suddenly  opening  his  eyes,  and  dis- 
missing all  hopes  of  teaching  the  lesson  by  repetition. 

"Golly,  I  will,  massa,"  promised  Pompey,  nearly 
tumbling  backward  at  the  sudden  resuscitation. 

A  rushing  noise.  Stragglers  from  the  enemy,  left 
behind  in  the  flight  for  safety,  now  plunged  over  the 
road,  some  of  them  skirting  their  thicket.  Not  know- 
ing who  or  what  they  were,  but  fearing  the  worst  fcr 


THE   "  SHOT  HEAKD  ROUND    THE    WORLD."    385 

the  negro  if  discovered,  the  young  officer  quickly  com- 
manded him  to  fly  into  the  denser  covert. 

Pompey's  teeth  shook  in  their  sockets.  "Golly, 
massa,"  and  his  eyes  showed  little  but  their  margins, 
"dey'll  kill  you  fer  shore!  I'll  carry  you  into  Miss 
Debby's. "  And  before  Lieutenant  Thornton  could 
utter  a  protest,  fright  lent  such  sudden  strength  that 
the  darkey  lifted  the  young  officer  in  his  long  arms, 
pushed  open  the  door  with  a  desperate  foot,  no  longer 
trembling  and  uncertain,  and  laid  him  on  the  floor, 
then  softly  closed  the  door  and  fled. 


WILL   SHE  BE  A    GREAT  LADY?  387 

my  life  once,  yes,  twice;  give  me  leave  to  save 
yours. " 

"Thanks  be  to  God  if  you  will  let  me  die,"  he 
cried. 

"No,  we  do  not  so  with  our  enemies,"  she  said 
gently,  her  hands  moving  swiftly  over  the  wound; 
and  bidding  a  basin  of  water  and  a  towel  to  be 
brought  her,  she  tenderly  bathed  the  blood  away  till 
the  terror  of  it  grew  less. 

"Oh,  my  golly,  missee!"  and  "O  Heaven  above 
and  Lord*  a'  mercy,  you  pretty  dear  !  "  cried  both  Mrs. 
Butterfield  and  Pompey  as  they  came  noisily  in.  The 
farmers,  when  they  saw  somebody  come  with  help, 
hurried  off.  Debby  looked  up  gratefully.  "  How 
good  of  you,"  she  breathed.  "Now  you  can  tell  me 
what  to  do  for  this  poor  man." 

Mrs.  Butterfield,  despite  the  strain  of  mercy  in  her 
disposition,  which  was  large,  could  not  come  up  to 
an  expression  of  delight  as  she  saw  the  redcoat. 
When  she  found  that  he  was  a  lieutenant  of  the 
king's  troops,  she  sniffed  out,  "Well,  I  sh'd  think 
'twas  pretty  poor  taste  to  come  in  here,  after  all 
you've  done  to  us." 

"  Madam,  I  can  assure  you  it  was  against  my  will 
that  I  came."  said  Thornton  dryly. 

"  I  brung  him,"  said  Pompey.     "  The  pesky  redcoats 


388      A   LITTLE   MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

were  coming  down  de  road  like  debbils;  an'  he  tole 
me  to  run  an'  save  myself,  an'  I  wasn't  goin'  to  leabe 
him." 

"The  redcoats  wouldn't  have  hurt  him,"  said 
Mother  Butterfield  grimly,  and  rolling  up  her  sleeves 
with  an  inflow  of  satisfaction  impossible  for  such  a 
born  nurse  to  conceal. 

"I  didn't  know  whether  'twas  all  redcoats,  an'  he 
didn't  know  but  'twas  de  minute  folks,"  grumbled 
Pompey  in  a  discomfited  fashion.  "Gracious,  Mis' 
Butterfield !  'twas  one  or  turrer,  an'  de  Lord  hissef 
couldn't  tell;  dey's  been  so  mixed  up  all  day." 

"Well,  they  ain't  mixed  up  any  longer,"  declared 
Mother  Butterfield  with  energy ;  ' '  and  we  beat  you, 
young  man,  whoever  you  be,"  nodding  to  him  on  the 
floor. 

"I  thank  the  Lord  you  did,"  he  said,  not  taking 
his  eyes  from  Debby. 

Mrs.  Butterfield  dropped  everything,  then  trotted 
to  Debby.  "The  first  thing  to  be  done,"  and  she 
lifted  her  like  a  child  and  carried  her  to  the  sofa, 
"  is  to  put  you  here.  That  man  there  has  gone  clean 
crazy.  Pompey  an'  me  will  look  after  him." 

"Instead,  you  may  say  he  has  come  to  a  clear 
mind,"  said  Thornton  addressing  her,  but  still  look- 
ing at  Debby.  "Now,  my  good  woman,  I  do  not 


WILL  SHE  BE  A    GREAT  LADY?  389 

doubt  that  you  are  the  best  nurse  in  the  world ;  but  if 
there  is  a  physician  in  this  village,  I  must  see  him. 
Pompey,  run  your  fingers  in  this  pocket."  He  moved 
as  well  as  he  could,  even  this  effort  making  his 
bloodless  face  whiter  yet ;  and  Pompey  obeying,  though 
with  great  awkwardness,  at  last  succeeded  in  bring- 
ing forth  a  wrought  leather  purse  heavily  bound  with 
silver.  "Open  it,"  commanded  the  young  lieutenant. 

A  shower  of  gold  pieces  fell  to  the  old  kitchen-floor. 
Pompey's  eyes  protruded.  "  Oh,  golly,  massa ! "  Mrs. 
Butterfield  endeavored  to  look  indifferent,  and  as  if 
gold  were  nothing  in  her  eyes ;  but  the  effort  could 
not  be  called  a  success.  "Take  two  of  those,"  said 
Thornton,  "  and  go  with  all  speed  to  the  village,  and 
bring  your  physician  here  with  some  men  and  a 
wagon." 

"There  are  dead  and  dying  all  around  us,"  said 
Mrs.  Butterfield  sharply,  at  the  thought  of  her  nursing 
faculty  gone  to  waste;  "and  it  ain't  likely  that  Dr. 
Minott  can  leave  'em,  'specially  when  our  own  towns- 
men will  suffer  by  it." 

"You  speak  with  sense,  madam,"  observed  Thorn- 
ton coolly,  "nevertheless,  Pompey  has  his  orders. 
See  how  quick  you  can  be,"  to  the  darkey,  who  closed 
his  broad  thumb  over  the  two  pieces  of  gold,  and  hur- 
ried off.  "  And  now  will  you  be  good  enough  to  feel 


390      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

in  this  other  pocket  for  me,  and  get  a  pencil  and  a 
small  packet  of  papers  you  will  find  there?" 

Mrs,  Butterfield  got  down  on  her  fat  knees  with  a 
long  sigh ;  and  suppressing  many  more,  she  finally 
put  the  articles  into  the  long  fingers,  taking  special 
note  how  exquisite  were  the  skin  and  nails,  in  the 
interval  that  consumed  some  time  before  she  regained 
her  perpendicular. 

The  young  British  officer  turned  with  great  diffi- 
culty on  his  side,  and  began  to  write,  covering  page 
after  page  of  the  paper  he  took  from  the  packet. 

Debby  motioned  to  the  matron.  "Put  a  pillow 
under  his  head,  and  prop  up  his  back,  do,  dear 
Mrs.  Butterfield." 

He  shot  her  a  grateful  glance,  although  her  speech 
was  low,  and  continued  to  write,  even  through  Mrs. 
Butterfield's  fussy  manipulation  of  the  pillows. 

"Have  the  kindness,  my  dear  madam,"  he  said, 
folding  up  the  paper,  and  putting  it  within  the  packet, 
"to  return  these  articles  to  my  pocket.  And  if  any- 
thing should  happen  to  me,  remember  to  send  the 
packet  to  the  address  on  its  cover."  He  looked  at 
Debby  as  he  spoke. 

"All  shall  be  done  as  you  wish,"  she  said. 

And  good  Dr.  Minott  came,  but  not  for  the  gold, 
for  he  did  not  see  it.  Long  before  Pompey  got  to  the 


WILL   SHE  BE  A    GREAT  LADY?  391 

town  centre  he  had  lost  both  pieces,  through  much 
turning  and  returning  of  them  in  his  thick,  awkward 
fingers.  He  scrabbled  around  for  them  in  a  fright 
in  the  roadside  thicket  where  they  had  fallen,  and 
at  last,  in  a  deadly  terror  that  the  young  British 
officer  would  die  before  he  got  back,  he  left  them, 
and  fled  precipitately  to  Dr.  Minott's,  where  he  told 
such  a  harrowing  tale  of  need  for  his  services  that 
£he  good  doctor  started  at  once  in  his  gig,  with  the 
darkey  by  his  side,  for  the  Parlin  cottage.  He 
came  none  too  soon.  Death  and  he  had  a  battle, 
fierce  as  any  that  was  waged  that  day.  In  the  end 
the  doctor  was  to  win,  though  he  knew  it  not  that 
night. 

It  was  a  soft,  warm  day  in  early  June.  Far  in  the 
distance  seemed  now  the  day  when  — 

"On  the  rude  bridge  that  arched  the  flood, 
Their  flag  to  April's  breeze  unfurled, 
Here  once  th'  embattled  farmers  stood, 
And  fired  the  shot  heard  round  the  world,"  — 

a  shot  that  proclaimed  Freedom  to  be  born  on  Con- 
cord plains,  by  the  side  of  her  river  of  peace. 

The  wild-flowers  had  gone  long  ago;  the  old  robins 
were  flying  about  careless  of  their  little  families  that 
were  taking  care  of  themselves  by  this  time;  the 


3Q2      A   LITTLE   MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

earth  was  fragrant  with  its  sweet  increase.  The  sol- 
dier-farmers, vigilant  and  wary  with  musket  and 
bayonet  for  any  chance  warning,  were  drilling  with 
renewed  zeal ;  for  their  victory  over  the  British  troops 
had  made  them  a  shining  mark  for  fresh  attacks, 
and  never,  since  that  birthday  of  liberty  on  their 
riverside,  had  they  slept  on  guard.  Bitter  need 
would  be  their  portion,  they  realized,  for  many  w'eary 
months,  and  maybe  years  —  sore  the  privation  as  the 
war  drew  its  length.  And  so  they  tilled  and  planted, 
toiling,  as  never  before,  to  sustain  Me,  and  the  vic- 
tory so  hardly  won. 

Debby  threw  wide  her  window,  and  looked  without. 
The  little  birds  sang  to  her  their  sweetest;  she  never 
heeded,  although  her  heart  was  at  peace.  Just  above, 
on  the  Ridge,  lay  her  father  at  rest.  Her  mother  and 
herself  would  have  it  so,  when  the  fathers  of  the  town 
begged  that  he  might  lie  with  those  others,  who  had 
served  their  day  and  generation  well,  in  the  old  hill 
burying-ground.  For  his  sin  had  been  more  than 
wiped  out  by  his  mighty  valor  on  the  day  of  crisis, 
when  he  had  been  terrible  for  the  enemy  to  look 
upon,  and  his  good  strokes  had  helped  to  "hold  the 
town." 

"Nay,"  said  Mrs.  Parlin,  "let  him  be  at  home 
now,  where  he  longed  to  be.  It  is  his  right;  and 


WILL   SHE   BE  A    GREAT  LADY?  393 

within  sight  of  the  cottage  windows  shall  be  his  bed 
of  rest. " 

And  so  they  had  brought  him  hither,  after  the  great 
victory  —  brought  him  from  the  roadside,  all  gashed 
and  gory;  and  nothing  that  could  be  done  or  said 
for  a  hero  was  lacking  as  they  laid  him  away  in  his 
winding-sheet.  And  good  Parson  Emerson  preached 
the  funeral  sermon ;  and  Miliscent  and  Perces  and  the 
other  mates  of  Debby  planted  the  periwinkle  above 
the  mound,  and  watered  it  with  their  tears,  and 
brought  flowers,  and  tended  the  resting-place  cease- 
lessly. And  Debby  welcomed  a  glad  and  peaceful 
joy  stealing  into  every  tired  sense.  And  the  mother 
each  day  felt  the  way  back  to  the  recovered  heart  of 
her  young  happy  wifehood.  Had  she  not  John  back 
again,  crowned  a  hero  in  the  eyes  of  his  townsmen, 
and  through  with  the  strain  and  stress  of  life?  He 
was  hers  to  worship  now,  and  not  do  wrong  to  God 
or  man  by  so  doing.  And  she  could  sit  beside  him 
on  the  Ridge  ;  and  he  knew  all  her  heart,  with  no  veil 
or  shadow  between  them.  And  each  dawn  was  a 
landmark  on  the  way  back  to  the  strength  she  knew 
would  all  be  needed  in  the  weary,  terrible  months 
and  years  before  her  countrymen. 

"John,  I  must  live  up  to  you,  dear,"  she  would 
whisper  above  the  grave.  "I  will  be  strong  so  that 


394      A    LITTLE   MAID   OF  CONGO  KD    TOWN. 

I  may  help  forward  what  you  died  to  get,  and  not  be 
unworthy  of  your  name." 

And  the  little  birds,  swaying  in  the  pine  branches 
above  her  head,  cooed  and  trilled,  and  made  sweet 
love  to  their  mates. 

The  other  grave  on  the  Ridge  was  sweet,  too,  in  the 
cool  shade  of  the  benignant  forest,  under  the  flowers 
that  Miliscent  and  Debby  planted  with  gentle  hands 
and  pitying  tears  for  the  mother  over  the  sea,  who 
had  lovingly  yearned  for  her  boy  to  keep  good  and 
true  and  pure.  Better  perhaps  was  it  that  young 
Herford  should  rest  here  safely,  where  he  fell  by  the 
hand  of  Septimius  Felton  on  that  day  of  conflict, 
than  for  a  longer  life  to  be  his,  whose  light-hearted, 
boyish  spirit  was  ill-fitted  to  cope  with  the  sterner 
issues  of  life. 

And  Mother  Butterfield,  to  whom  Dr.  Minott  had 
consigned  the  sick  British  officer  when  he  was  able 
to  be  moved  to  the  Butterfield  farm,  was  happy  and 
radiant.  Added  to  the  Concord  victory,  was  it  not 
the  cap-sheaf  that  she  be  installed  chief  nurse,  where 
all  her  faculties  could  have  free  play?  And  through 
all  his  ravings,  when  the  brain  fever  was  at  its  height, 
she  was  placid  and  benignant. 

One  day,  however,  she  shut  the  door  hastily.  "  If 
Abner  heard  him  now,"  she  said  under  her  breath, 


WILL   SHE  BE   A    GREAT  LADY?  395 

"he  might  find  it  in  his  heart  to  reproach  me  for 
bringing  him  back  to  life.  Debby  is  but  a  girl,  and 
young,  pretty  things  are  won  by  gold.  I  would  he 
had  kept  to  his  British  training,  and  his  love  to  the 
king,  then  she'd  spurn  him  like  the  dust  beneath  her 
feet.  But  now  —  oh,  alack,  alack!" 

But  Abner  had  heard,  albeit  she  was  now  so  care- 
ful, though  he  gave  no  sign.  And  he  kept  his  pa- 
tient tongue  quiet,  and  hid  the  tale  he  had  refrained 
from  speaking  to  the  girl,  till  she  had  chance  to  do 
honor  to  her  father  without  interruption,  and  to  recover 
her  peaceful  heart.  When  he  brought,  as  hasten  he 
did  with  it  that  night  after  the  battle,  the  grand  story  of 
John  Parlin's  death,  he  longed  to  fold  her  in  his  arms, 
with  a  new  story  of  the  great  love  he  bore  her.  But 
all  was  confusion  in  the  Parlin  cottage,  owing  to  the 
pr:sance  of  the  stranger  supposed  to  be  dying;  and  he 
could  get  no  speech  alone  with  Debby,  and  her  great 
eyes  in  the  white  little  face  seemed  to  implore  him  to 
be  let  alone  to  find  peace.  So  he  read  them.  And 
since  that  time  he  had  tried  to  content  himself  with 
doing  for  her  what  he  could,  and  biding  his  time, 
meaning  soon  to  speak.  And  now  —  must  it  always 
be  a  time  of  renunciation  with  him?  he  cried  alone  in 
his  agony  in  the  forest,  where  he  plunged  after  hear- 
ing the  ravings  of  the  young  British  officer.  First,  oh, 


396      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

so  long  ago, — for  he  had  loved  Debby  even  a  little 
maid  in  pinafores,  —  he  had  given  her  up  in  his  mind 
to  Jim  and  the  other  fellows  of  their  set,  who  were 
handsome  and  cleverer  than  he ;  and  now,  when  at  last 
he  had  a  right  to  show  his  heart,  fate  had  thrown 
among  them  this  stranger.  Good?  yes,  Abner  knew 
in  his  soul  that  the  man  was  good  and  pure,  and 
willing  to  renounce  what  he  saw  was  an  unrighteous 
cause.  And  last  of  all,  for  to  Abner's  thinking  this 
would  weigh  more  in  Debby's  mind  than  the  gold, 
this  redcoat  officer  had  been  born  and  bred  in  an 
English  home  of  aristocracy,  educated  in  a  British 
university,  and  had  about  him  that  nameless  quality 
that  fascinates  the  world  of  men  as  well  as  of  women. 

"  My  flower !  my  Debby !  the  only  woman  in  the 
world !  shall  I  speak  now  ?  The  queen's  palace  is 
not  too  good  for  you.  Poor  fool  am  I !  "  He  flung 
his  sinewy,  brown  arms  to  heaven,  looked  at  them, 
and  laughed  bitterly.  "  I  would  not  speak  now  if 
I  knew  she  would  look  at  me  in  pity,  for  she  ought 
to  take  what  God  has  provided  for  her.  It  is  her 
right." 

On  the  ground,  in  the  depth  of  the  forest  where  he 
had  wandered,  he  flung  himself  on  his  face,  for  the 
first  time  in  his  life  allowing  the  hours  to  slip  by 
over  his  neglected  work.  When  he  came  back  to  the 


WILL  SHE  BE  A    GREAT  LADY?  397 

farm  he  was  the  same  quiet  Abner,  going  in  and  out, 
but  with  more  helpful  solicitude  for  Thornton's  recov- 
ery than  before. 

"Poor  boy!  if  he  only  knew,"  sighed  his,  mother; 
and  she  racked  her  brain  to  get  him  his  favorite 
dishes  to  eat,  and  to  show  him  all  possible  atten- 
tions. 

And  sometimes,  when  the  ravings  were  very  bad, 
they  would  have  to  send  for  Debby.  And  it  was 
Abner  who  went  for  her  in  the  big  green  wagon.  And 
she  would  lay  her  cool,  soft  hand  on  the  poor  wasted 
brow,  and  her  tears  would  fall  for  the  mother  or  sister 
in  the  distant  English  home,  who  ought  to  be  in  her 
place,  and  Abner  would  rush  out  to  go  all  over  again 
with  the  agony  and  temptation  he  thought  he  had 
conquered.  And  at  last  the  fever  turned;  and  now, 
on  this  soft,  warm  day  in  early  June,  although  the 
young  British  officer  had  lingered,  the  time  had  ar- 
rived when  it  was  no  longer  seemly  to  do  so. 

There  were  footsteps  without,  slow,  but  decided. 
Mrs.  Parlin,  with  a  peaceful  smile  beneath  her  white 
cap,  looked  up  from  her  spinning.  When  she  saw 
that  it  was  Thornton  (no  one  called  him  now  "the 
young  British  officer,"  knowing  well  that  the  Ameri- 
can cause  had  won  him  to  its  side),  she  smiled.  It 
was  one  of  the  strongest  reasons  for  Abner's  belief 


398      A   LITTLE  MAID   OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

that  Providence  willed  it  for  Thornton's  love  to  pre- 
vail with  Debby,  that  her  mother  had  long  ago  be- 
stowed upon  the  young  man  that  love  and  sympathy 
that  his  Jieart  craved.  Good  Mrs.  Butterfield  might 
toil  and  slave,  be  up  nights  on  the  anxious  watch, 
potter  over  gruels  and  other  helpful  messes  for  day 
and  night  in  and  out;  but  let  Mrs.  Parlin  come  into 
the  sick-room,  and  sit  there  in  her  white  cap,  her 
hands  folded  in  her  lap,  and  smile  at  him,  and  say, 
"You  poor  boy,"  and  Thornton,  ungrateful  wretch, 
grimaced  in  Mother  Butterfield's  face  at  the  gruels 
and  the  medicines,  and  lay  serene  and  happy  so  long 
as  he  could  see  Debby's  mother. 

Why  did  she  so  ?  Ah,  her  John  was  a  hero,  en- 
shrined in  the  heart  of  the  town,  and  safe,  forever  at 
rest.  Perhaps,  had  it  not  been  for  the  work  of  this 
misguided  young  man,  the  glory  of  that  eventful  day 
would  have  been  less  for  the  farmer-soldier,  slow  of 
purpose  and  action.  And  the  Englishman  but  did  his 
duty,  he  believed;  and  he  was  won  to  the  American 
cause  by  her  Deborah.  Should  she  not  devote  that 
brilliant  life  and  gold  to  the  service  of  her  suffering 
countrymen?  Debby  might  yet  be  a  great  lady  in 
the  Colonies,  and  worthy  her  father's  name. 

She  smiled  on  Thornton,  and  bade  him  be  seated. 
He  came  close  to  the  spinning-wheel,  and  held  her 


WILL   SHE  BE  A    GREAT  LADY?  399 

with  his  intense  eyes.  "I  have  your  permission 
to  speak?"  he  asked  feverishly. 

'•'Yes."  She  knew  he  was  weak  and  still  sick, 
and  words  should  be  few.  "  I  will  call  Debby;  "  and 
after  she  had  done  so  she  hastened  to  John's  grave, 
glad  that  their  daughter  was  to  meet  her  sweet,  vic- 
torious womanhood. 

It  was  the  same  room  —  the  keeping-room  —  into 
which  he  had  been  laid,  and  where  Debby  had  knelt 
to  him,  tending  his  wound,  to  which  he  had  now 
brought  the  heart  that  had  so  long  been  hers,  to  put 
it  at  her  feet.  She  stood  before  him,  her  clear 
blue  eyes  raised  to  his,  and  her  sweet  face  still  pale. 
But  the  mouth  was  firm  in  its  curves. 

"I  am  glad  you  are  better,"  she  said  gently.  "Do 
not  stand;  you  are  still  weak." 

"Instead,  I  would  kneel  at  your  feet  from  hence- 
forth," he  said  feebly.  "Miss  Parlin,  I  need  not 
many  words  to  tell  you  why  I  come  to  you  to-day. 
My  ravings  have  spoken  my  heart ;  good  Mrs.  Butter- 
field  has  confessed  it." 

She  put  up  her  brown  hand,  thin  and  shapely,  but 
his  great  will  mastered  her  to  silence. 

"No;  I  must  speak.  For  my  crime  against  your 
father  "  — 

"Speak  not  of  that,"  she   interrupted  him;    "our 


400      A   LITTLE  MAW    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

hearts  are  at  rest.  And  I  have  a  crime  against  you, 
nay,  many,  that  I  wish  you  to  forgive."  The  kerchief 
on  her  bosom  rose  and  fell  with  her  quick  breath- 
ing. "I  was  unjust  and  cruel  when  you  did  what 
you  thought  your  duty,  and  I  would  that  you  forgave 
me." 

He  could  not  speak,  yet  he  would  not  so  much  as 
trust  himself  to  touch  her  hand.  His  iron  will  must 
master  every  impulse  until  his  tale  of  love  had  been 
told. 

"Ah,  you  cannot  forgive  me !"  said  Debby  sadly. 

He  turned  on  her  then,  and  burst  forth,  his  plans  of 
speech  all  scattered,  "Cannot  forgive?"  his  great 
eyes  burned  into  hers  with  a  devotion  that  stirred  her 
very  heart  and  soul  to  its  depths,  his  thin  white  face 
worked  with  the  passion  that  knows  not  the  need  of 
words.  "Deborah,  come  to  me,  if  you  can.  Have 
pity,  and  come."  He  flung  wide  his  arms.  "All  — 
all  I  have  and  am  is  yours,  and  the  Cause  you  love. " 

One  instant,  —  not  hesitation  for  the  fame  and  the 
gold,  the  brilliant  career  of  a  leading  lady  in  the 
Colonies,  nor  the  pride  of  the  handsome  scion  of  an 
old  English  family  won  to  her  and  to  her  cause, 
but  only  to  consult  her  woman's  heart  how  gently  to 
strike  the  blow. 

"I  will    throw  myself   on   your    mercy,"  her  lips 


WILL   SHE  BE  A    GREAT  LADY?  401 

were  tremulous  now,  "so  that  you  may  see  that  God 
will  not  let  me  take  your  love.  My  heart  has  been 
another's  for  long,  long  years;  and  oh!  have  pity 
on  me,  for  I  am  like  you, —  he  loves  me  not."  She 
stood  there,  in  her  womanly  shame,  the  pink  glow 
over  her  face,  her  appealing  eyes  raised  to  his  face. 

He  had  time  to  gather  himself  up;  and  he  cried 
hoarsely,  "  Now  may  God  have  mercy  on  me,  and  help 
me  to  do  his  will."  He  reverently  bent  and  touched 
her  brow  with  his  lips. 

The  next  day  he  sailed  from  Boston  Harbor.  Close 
to  his  heart  lay  the  writing  on  the  packet,  in  which  he 
had  transferred,  in  case  of  his  expected  death,  his 
English  estate  to  the  little  Maid  of  Concord  Town, 
to  be  recorded  in  proper  shape  as  soon  as  his  foot 
touched  his  native  soil.  No  wife  nor  children  should 
be  his,  he  had  sworn  in  his  empty  heart;  and  the 
struggling  Colonies  that  she  had  lived  for,  ay,  was 
living  for  yet,  should  some  time  be  the  richer  for  his 
sojourn  among  them. 

The  grave  on  the  Ridge  was  soft  in  the  moonlight. 
Debby  laid  her  heated  face  against  it.  "Father,"  she 
mourned,  "  comfort  my  mother  for  her  sore  disappoint- 
ment. I  cannot  bear  to  look  in  her  eyes.  O  Abner! " 

It  was  as  if  she  called  him,  yet  she  had  spoken 
never  a  word;  for  there  he  stood,  as  she  raised  her 


402      A   LITTLE  MAID    OF  CONCORD    TOWN. 

head,  standing  on  the  other  side  of  the  grave,  tall 
and  still. 

Debby  sprang  to  her  feet.  "  Abner !  "  she  gasped, 
laying  her  hand  on  her  beating  heart,  "  when  did  you 
come  ?  " 

He  did  not  seem  to  hear.  He  only  stretched  his 
hands  out  to  her.  And  the  little  Maid  of  Concord 
Town  went  within  them,  and  laid  her  head  upon  his 
breast. 

"His  parting  words  to  me  were,  'She  loves  you,'" 
he  said  at  last,  when  words  began  to  be  spoken  be- 
tween them.  "  O  Debby !  what  have  you  given  up  for 
me?" 

She  drew  away  a  bit  to  look  into  his  steady  brown 
eyes,  — 

"Instead,  I  have  gained  all,  for  my  heart  came  to 
life  in  Concord  Town,  Abner,"  she  said,  her  blue  eyes 
shining  into  his. 


APPENDIX. 
I. 

THE  framed  manuscript  copy  of  this  letter,  to  which  the 
scissors  are  appended,  hangs  in  the  Public  Library  at  Con- 
cord. 

BRONXVILLB,  N.  Y.,  March  24,  1875. 

CHARLES  THOMPSON,  ESQ.  ; 

Dear  Sir,  —  About  one  hundred  and  one  years  ago,  Dr.  War- 
ren sent  a  young  man,  his  nephew  by  marriage,  Joseph  Swain,  son 
of  Rev.  Joseph  Swain,  of  Wenham,  to  Concord,  to  take  charge  of 
the  rebel  armory.  After  repairing  the  guns  generally  in  use,  he 
attempted  to  make  some  new  ones.  For  this  purpose  he  returned 
to  Salem,  to  the  edge-tool  factory  of  Mrs.  Proctor,  where  he  had 
previously  had  charge,  and  secured  such  tools  as  were  to  be  had ; 
and  among  them  this  anvil,  which  I  now,  through  you,  present 
to  the  town  of  Concord.  On  this  anvil  the  first  gun-barrel  was 
welded  in  Concord. 

Colonel  James  Barrett  and  his  son  James  had,  during  the  French 
war,  furnished,  through  the  commissary  department  in  Boston, 
oatmeal  and  some  other  provisions.  This  continued  on  until  near 
1774.  It  was  a  common  occurrence  for  a  young  staff  officer  to 
come  to  Concord  on  this  business,  and,  while  waiting  a  reply, 
would  amuse  himself  by  talking  loyalty  with  James  Barrett's 
oldest  daughter,  Meliscent,  to  hear  her  rebel  replies.  He  asked 
her  what  they  would  do  if  it  should  become  necessary  for  the 
Colonies  to  resist,  as  there  was  not  a  person  who  even  knew  how 

403 


404 


APPENDIX. 


to  make  cartridges.  She  replied  that  they  would  use  their  powder- 
horns  and  bullets,  just  as  they  shot  bears.  "That,"  says  the 
young  man,  "  would  be  too  barbarous ;  give  me  a  piece  of  pine, 
and  I  will  show  you  how."  After  whittling  the  stick  to  the 
proper  form,  he  took  these  scissors,  which  I  now  present  to  the 
town  of  Concord,  and  cut  the  paper  for  the  pattern  cartridge. 

The  sequel  shows  how  apt  a  scholar  she  was,  for  all  the  cart- 
ridges were  made  under  her  superintendence  by  the  young  ladies 
of  Concord ;  her  only  male  assistant  was  her  younger  brother,  the 
late  Major  James  Barrett,  who  drove  the  last  load  of  cartridges 
from  the  house  after  the  British  came  in  sight  on  the  igih  of  April, 
1775.  After  the  war,  Joseph  Swain  returned  to  Concord,  and 
married  Meliscent  Barrett,  and  took  these  relics  to  Halifax,  Vt., 
where  I  came  in  possession  of  them. 

Yours, 

JAMES  P.  SWAIN. 


MELISCENT   BARRETT'S  SCISSORS. 
(Now  in  the  Public  Library,  Concord.) 

NOTE.  —  The  name  "  Miliscent"  is  spelled  in  various  ways  in  differ- 
ent documents  and  genealogical  records.  The  author  has  chosen  the  one 
given  above.  "  Meriam  "  was  the  old  way  of  spelling  this  family  name, 
now  written  "  Merriam." 


APPENDIX.  405 


II. 

A  LIST  OF  BOOKS  that,  with  many  others,  formed  the 
historic  basis  for  this  volume. 

The  Town  Records. 

History  of  the  Town  of  Concord ',  by  LEMUEL  SHATTUCK. 

Concord  in  the  Colonial  Period,  by  CHARLES  H.  WALCOTT. 

History  of  the  Fight  at  Concord  on  the  iqth  April,  1775,  by  REV. 
EZRA  RIPLEY,  D.D. 

Story  of  a  Concord  Farm,  by  REV.  GRINDALL  REYNOLDS.  D.D. 

The  Centennial  of  the  Social  Circle  in  Concord,  March  21,  1882. 

Memoirs  of  the  Social  Circle  in  Concord.  Second  Series,  from 
1795  to  1840. 

Traditions  and  Reminiscences  of  Concord,  Mass.,  by  EDWARD 
JARVIS. 

Concord  Fight,  April  igth,  f?7j,  by  REV.  GRINDALL  REY- 
NOLDS, D.D. 


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